, 

R K F O R T 


OF  THE 


OF  THE 


STATE  OF  MICHIGAN. 


BY  AUTHORITY, 


LANSING: 

W:  S.  GEORGE  & CO.,  PRINTERS  TO  THE  STATE 
1871. 


R E P O R T 


OF  THE 


Will 


PINAL  REFORMATORY,  AMI  CHARITABLE  INSTITUTIONS 


OF  THE 


STATE  OF  MICHIGAN. 


LANSING: 

'V-  s.  GEORGE  (t  CO.,  PRINTERS  TO  THE  STATE 
1871. 


) REPORT. 


To  His  Excellency  Henky  P.  Baldwin, 

Governor  of  the  State  of  Michigan  : 

The  undersigned,  Commissioners  appointed  by  your  Excel- 
lency under  joint  resolutions  of  the  Senate  and  House  of 
Representatives,  approved  April  3d,  A.  D.  1869,  to  examine 
the  discipline  and  general  management  of  the  penal,  reforma- 
tory, and  charitable  institutions  of  the  State,  and  report  plans 
and  recommendations  for  their  improvement,  beg  leave  to 
report : 

That  soon  after  our  appointment  we  entered  upon  the  dis  • 
charge  of  our  duties,  and  from  time  to  time,  ever  since,  we 
have  been  engaged  in  the  performance  thereof.  These  duties 
have  occupied  a much  larger  share  of  our  time  than  we  antici- 
pated, and  much  more  time  than  we  have  given  to  them  could 
profitabfy  have  been  bestowed. 

The  field  of  inquiry  marked  out  for  us  was  a very  broad 
one,  requiring  extended  investigations  both  at  home  and 
abroad,  a large  intercourse  with  persons  who  have  charge  of 
or  aie  interested  in  institutions  of  a similar  character,  a very 
considerable  reading,  and  full  consideration. 

While  we  have  a full  consciousness  that  we  have  not  accom- 
plished all  that  ought  to  have  been  accomplished,  nor  done 
what  we  have  done  as  well  as  it  ought  to  have  been  done,  we 
have  done  the  best  that  we  could  without  giving  to  the  subject 
much  more  time  than  it  was  possible  for  us  to  give,  or  than 
was  expected  of  us  by  the  Legislature  or  your  Excellency. 

We  have  visited  a large  number  of  jails  and  alms-houses  in 
our  own  State,  including  some  in  the  older  and  richer  counties 


4 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


and  some  of  the  new  and  poorer  ones,  and  have  seen  some  of 
the  best  and  some  of  the  worst  of  both  these  classes  of  insti- 
tutions to  be  found  within  our  limits.  There  may  be  some 
exceptionally  good  or  exceptionally  bad,  that  we  have  not  seen, 
but  we  have  seen  enough  to  judge  accurately  of  their  general 
condition,  their  prevailing  defects  and  merits,  and  the  reforms 
which  are  needed. 

We  have  all  visited  the  State  Prison  at  Jackson,  the  lie  form 
School  at  Lansing,  and  the  House  of  Correction  at  Detroit, 
and  most  of  us  have  visited  these  institutions  several  times. 
We  have  also  visited  the  Asylum  for  the  Insane  at  Kalamazoo, 
and  the  Institution  for  the  Blind,  and  Deaf  and  Dumb,  at  Flint. 

We  have  also  visited  institutions  in  the  States  of  Ohio,  Illi- 
nois, Kew  York,  Massachusetts,  and  Rhode  Island,  although 
in  some  instances  we  have  not  all  visited  the  same  institutions 

We  have  taken  especial  pains  to  see  and  converse  largely 
with  men  who  have  acquired  experience,  skill,  and  reputation 
in  the  management  or  supervision  of  like  institutions  in  our 
own  and  other  States,  and  also  with  eminent  philanthropists 
who  have  made  this  whole  subject  of  the  prevention  and  treat- 
ment of  crime,  vagrancy,  pauperism,  insanity,  and  imbecility  a 
profound  study. 

We  have  also  carefully  read  and  considered  a large  number 
of  reports,  essays,  and  volumes  bearing  upon  these  subjects, 
many  of  which  are  of  great  and  everywhere  acknowledged 
merit. 

We  have  thus  endeavored  to  lit  ourselves  for  the  performance 
of  the  duties  imposed  upon  us  by  the  Joint  Resolution  of  the 
Legislature,  or  pointing  out  existing  defects  in  our  present  in- 
stitutions, and  recommending  such  improvements  as  we  think 
should  be  made  therein  ; and  making  such  further  recommend- 
ations connected  with  this  subject  as  to  the  Board  may  seem 
proper. 


CONDITION  OF  OUE  COUNTY  JAILS. 


Ours  has  been  the  experience  of  all  who  have  undertaken  to 
examine  the  actual  condition  of  count}7-  jails,  whether  in  this 
or  in  other  States. 

Their  condition  is  wretched  beyond  all  power  of  description, 
and  beyond  all  conception  of  those  who  have  not  had  the 
experience  of  their  own  senses  in  the  matter. 

There  are,  of  course,  marked  differences  in  the  condition  of 
the  jails ; some  few,  a very  few , are  subject  only  in  a slight 
degree  to  the  sanitary  objections  made,  but  we  speak  of  their 
condition  in  general.  Some  of  the  worst  jails  are  in  the  oldest 
and  wealthiest  counties. 

The  defects  in  them  are  not  owing  so  much  to  the  manner 
in  which  they  are  kept,  as  to  inherent  defects  in  their  con- 
struction, their  dilapidated  condition,  and  a fatal  vice  in  the 
common-jail  system. 

For  the  most  part,  our  sheriff's  are  both  humane  and  compe- 
tent men,  and  as  a general  rule  the  prisoners  are  well  fed,  and 
treated  with  a reasonable  degree  of  personal  kindness. 

FIRST — OF  SANITARY  DEFECTS. 

It  is  an  acknowledged  fact  that  light  and  fresh  air  in  gener- 
ous measure  are  absolutely  essential  to  a healthful  condition 
of  both  mind  and  body.  For  the  most  part,  our  jails  seem  in- 
geniously constructed  to  exclude  as  much  of  these  essential 
elements  of  health  as  is  possible  without  destroying  life. 

Nor  is  any  proper  provision  made  for  cleanliness  of  person. 
Many  prisoners  come  to  the  jails  filthy  in  person  and  in 
clothing.  They  are  thrust  into  long,  narrow,  dimly-liglited, 
badly-ventilated  corridors,  from  which  open  the  cells.  There 
are  no  bathing  requirements  or  facilities,  and  prisoners  are  not 
always  required  even  to  wash  their  hands  and  faces.  This 
corridor  is  used  as  the  sitting  and  eating  room  of  all  the  pris- 
oners, clean  and  unclean,  and  is  often  also  the  privy  and  water- 


6 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


closet  of  all;  and  if  not,  the  privy  is  closely  adjoining,  and 
the  corridor  is  filled  with  its  fetid  and  sickening  odor. 

The  cells  are  very  small,  usually  not  exceeding  in  size  four 
or  five  feet  by  eight,  and  seven  feet  in  height ; without  ventil- 
ating flues,  and  with  absolutely  no  light  or  air  except  such  as 
steals  through  the  iron  grates  of  the  narrow  doors  opening 
into  the  corridors.  No  breath  of  pure,  fresh  air  ever  reaches 
the  inmates.  Yet  in  these  cells,  alive  with  vermin,  poisoned 
with  the  stagnant,  fetid  air,  the  prisoners  spend  one  half  of 
their  time  ; and  when  too  sick  to  creep  out  into  the  corridor, 
the  whole  of  it. 

The  jails  are  crowded  to  excess : Thus  the  Calhoun  County 
jail,  which  was  built  to  accommodate  eight  prisoners,  some- 
times contain  twenty  inmates.  Two,  and  sometimes  three,  are 
put  into  a single  cell,  and  a corridor  not  large  enough  to  ac- 
commodate half  a dozen  is  the  living  and  eating  room  of  a 
score  of  prisoners.  The  heating  arrangements  are  often  most 
defective  and  insecure,  and  the  corridors  are  little  to  be  pre- 
ferred to  the  cells.  As  a rule,  continued  good  health  is  impos- 
sible under  such  circumstances,  and  Mr.  Bingham,  the  Agent 
of  the  State  Prison,  informs  us  that  those  convicts  that  come 
from  a long  confinement  in  our  county  jails  usually  come  in 
a very  bad  sanitary  condition,  and  actually  recruit  under  the 
discipline  of  the  State  Prison. 

The  larger  proportion  of  the  persons  confined  in  our  county 
jails  are  confined  awaiting  trial,  and  they  are  often  detained 
month  after  month.  They  are  not  convicts,  and  the  law  pre- 
sumes them  innocent.  Experience  shows  that  a portion  of 
them  are  innocent  of  the  crimes  with  which  they  are  charged, 
while  a much  larger  portion  of  them  are  never  convicted. 

The  power  to  arrest  and  detain  persons  charged  with  crimes 
is  one  essential  to  the  public  good,  but  it  is  one  that  is  often 
abused  by  the  malice  of  accusers  and  the  reckless  carelessness 
or  corruption  of  officers  ; and  innocent  persons  are  not  un- 
frequently  the  victims.  But  we  submit  that  whatever  right 
the  State  may  have  to  punish  convicts  by  depriving  them  of 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


i 

stanlight  and  pure  air,  thus  destroying  health  of  body  and 
mind  by  such  incarceration,  it  has  no  right  thus  to  treat  per- 
sons who  are  simply  accused  of  crime  and  are  awaiting  trial. 
They,  at  least,  are  entitled  to  such  of  the  decencies  and  ordi- 
nary comforts  of  life  as  may  be  consistent  with  safe  detention. 

SECOND — MORAL  CONDITION. 

The  moral  condition  of  our  jails  is  infinitely  worse  than 
their  sanitary  condition,  and  after  a full  examination  and 
careful  consideration,  we  have  come  to  the  clear  and  painful 
conviction,  that  they  are'  the  very  hot-beds  and  nurseries  of 
vice  and  crime,  and  that  the  State  is  directly  responsible  for  a 
large  share  of  the  crime  which  it  seeks  to  punish. 

The  general  plan  upon  which  jails  are  constructed  is  that  of 
corridors,  with  cells  opening  therefrom.  The  prisoners  are 
locked  in  their  cells  at  night,  but  during  the  day  they  congre- 
gate in  the  corridors,  without  employment,  and  without  over- 
sight or  restriction  as  to  intercourse.  There  is  no  separation 
of  the  convicts  from  persons  merely  accused  of  crime.  Here, 
often,  are  gathered  those  old  and  hardened  in  villainy,  lost  to 
shame,  proud  and  boastful  of  their  crimes;  those  who  have 
committed  their  first  crime,  under  the  influence  of  some  strong 
temptation;  those  who  have  committed  some  venial  offense 
while  under  the  influence  of  intoxicating  liquors  or  some  sud- 
den passion ; mere  children,  new  in  the  paths  of  vice ; those 
who  are  accused,  but  are  entirely  innocent  of  any  crime ; and 
those  who  are  arrested  on  civil  process  and  are  unable  to  find 
bail. 

If  the  wisdom  of  the  State  had  been  exercised  to  devise  a 
school  of  crime,  it  would  have  been  difficult  to  devise  a more 
efficient  one.  Here  are  the  competent  teachers,  the  tractable 
pupils,  the  largest  opportunities  for  instruction,  with  nothing- 
to  distract  attention  from  the  lessons.  Those  merely  accused, 
and  those  guilty  of  a first  offense,  however  venial,  are  taught 
that  the  mere  fact  of  an  imprisonment  has  shut  them  out 
from  all  the  avenues  of  respectable  industry ; that  there  is  no 


8 


REPORT  OK  PENAL  AND 


hope  in  that  direction  ; that  society  has  become  their  enemy; 
and  that  the  only  course  open  to  them  is  to  become  the  enemy 
of  society.  They  are  taught  how  to  do  this  most  effectually, 
and  that  the  chance  of  detection  and  punishment  decreases 
just  as  one  becomes  skillful  in  crime ; and  all  the  arts,  devices, 
and  exploits  of  the  experts  are  taught  in  detail  to  listening 
and  wondering  ears,  who  soon  learn  to  admire  the  audacity 
and  skill  described,  and  to  long  to  imitate  and  excel  such  dis- 
play of  them. 

Gambling  is  a common  amusement,  and  the  tricks  of  pro- 
fessional gamblers  are  learned.  The  jails  are  often  so  arranged 
that  the  male  prisoners  can  converse  with  female  prisoners, 
and  occasional  access  to  the  rooms  of  the  latter  has  been 
obtained. 

The  insecurity  of  the  jail  often  tempts  to  efforts  and  con- 
spiracies to  escape. 

As  a rule,  the  prisoners  have  access  to  no  books,  no  efforts  of 
any  kind  are  made  for  their  intellectual  or  moral  improvement, 
and  no  interest  is  shown  in  their  welfare,  unless  occasionally 
some  clergyman,  like  the  Rev.  Dr.  Gillespie,  of  Ann  Arbor,  in 
the  spirit  of  the  Master,  makes  the  jail  and  its  inmates  a part 
of  his  field  of  labor. 

Can  it  be  wondered  at  that  the  universal  experience  is,  that 
this  treatment  tends  to  make  men  criminals  instead  of  reform- 
ing them?  These  evils  are  not  peculiar  to  our  own  State. 
They  exist  elsewhere,  and  all  who  have  turned  their  thought- 
ful attention  to  the  subject,  whether  as  practical  men  or  phi- 
lanthropists, unite  in  the  opinion  that  our  present  county -jail 
system  is  an  unmitigated  evil,  and  ought  to  be  abated. 

The  State  has  no  right,  under  any  pretext,  to  compel  any 
portion  of  its  citizens  to  such  ruinous  associations.  If  it  does 
not  reform  its  prisoners,  it  should  not  corrupt  them,  and  then 
punish  them  for  the  very  corruption  it  has  wrought  out. 

What  reform  should  be  made  will  be  considered  in  another 
portion  of  this  report. 


REFORMATOR  Y INSTITUTIONS. 


OUR  POOR-HOUSES. 

Like  our  jails,  our  poor-houses  are  in  the  main  adminis- 
tered by  kindly  and  humane  men,  and  the  manifold  evils  which 
exist  spring  rather  from  want  of  intelligent  consideration,  the 
want  of  proper  supervision,  and  the  inherent  defects  of  the 
system  under  which  these  charities  are  administered,  than  from 
any  want  of  humanity. 

The  duty  of  every  community  to  care  for  its  own  poor, 
worthy  or  unworthy,  is  clearly  recognized  in  every  Christian 
community,  and  at  this  day  it  needs  no  argument  to  make 
that  duty  plain.  This  duty  should  be  performed  so  as  to  lessen, 
and  as  far  as  possible  prevent  pauperism  and  crime.  It  should 
be  so  performed  as  to  do  no  moral  or  physical  injury  to  those  it 
attempts  to  relieve,  but,  on  the  contrary,  to  do  them  good. 

BUILDINGS. 

It  is  difficult  to  generalize  upon  the  condition  of  the  houses 
in  which  the  poor  are  kept.  Some  buildings  are  good,  and 
reasonably  suitable  for  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  used. 
Others  are  most  unsuitable  in  their  construction,  and  others  in 
a most  dilapidated  condition,  needing  thorough  repair,  or  to 
be  torn  down.  The  general  complaint  of  superintendents  and 
keepers  is,  that  the  board  of  supervisors  do  not  grant  them 
sufficient  means  for  putting  or  keeping  them  in  a proper  con- 
dition. 

VENTILATION  AND  CLEANLINESS. 

Most  of  our  poor-houses  are  utterly  deficient  in  any  proper 
system  of  ventilation.  The  ventilation  by  windows  and  doors 
does  very  well  for  family  households,  but  as  applied  to  large, 
crowded  rooms,  as  some  rooms  in  a poor-house  often  are,  and 
filled  with  such  persons  as  occupy  them,  it  is  utterly  defective. 
The  atmosphere  becomes  laden  with  offensive  odors,  and  the 
very  walls  become  impregnated  by  them.  Living  in  such 


o 


10 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


rooms  must  inevitably  be  greatly  prejudicial  to  health,  and 
must  send  many  inmates  to  the  hospital. 

There  is,  too,  for  the  most  part,  an  utter  want  of  bathing 
facilities  and  requirements.  In  some  counties  a washtub  is 
furnished,  and  inmates  are  required  to  bathe  the  whole  person 
weekly,  but  this  is  not  generally  the  case.  We  found  no  bathing 
tubs,  and  no  generous  supply  of  water.  When  the  character 
and  number  of  inmates  is  considered,  the  importance  of  this 
subject  is  very  great,  and  the  neglect  is  a very  culpable  one, 
affecting  health,  decency,  and  morals. 

HOSPITALS  AND  MEDICAL  ATTENDANCE. 

In  very  few  of  the  poor-houses  are  there  any  suitable  hospi- 
tal arrangements.  Where  there  are  rooms  assigned  for  hospi- 
tals, they  are  for  the  most  part  unfit  for  such  use,  and  are 
often  crowded  to  excess. 

In  some  of  them  thus  crowded  we  found  the  air  exceedingly 
offensive,  and  the  rooms  made  thereby  utterly  unfit  for  human 
habitation.  The  wonder  was,  not  that  the  sick  did  not  get 
well,  but  that  the  well  who  came  in  to  them  did  not  get  sick. 
When  the  number  of  sick  to  be  found  in  such  institutions  is 
considered,  this  want  of  hospital  accommodations  is  a very 
pressing  one.  In  this  connection  the  want  of  proper  medical 
attendance  may  be  mentioned.  This  want,  however,  we  infer 
from  the  salaries  paid,  for  we  had  little  opportunity  to  form  an 
opinion.  Thus  the  rich  county  of  Washtenaw,  with  over  one 
hundred  inhabitants  in  the  poor-house,  and  nineteen  of  them 
insane,  pays  forty-five  dollars  a year  to  a physician,  who  fur- 
nishes his  own  medicines.  This  is  not,  however,  a fair  illustra- 
tion, as  many  of  the  counties  pay  more  liberally,  with  a smaller 
number  of  inmates.  Jackson  county  pays  one  hundred  dollars ; 
Calhoun  eighty,  and  half  the  charge  in  surgical  cases  in  addi- 
tion. But  in  few  cases  do  the  counties  pay  such  a sum  as 
would  be  a very  meager  compensation  for  a physician  who  can 
command  a good  practice,  and  no  other  ought  to  be  emplo}red, 
whether  reference  be  had  to  the  demands  of  humanity  or  of  a 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


11 


true  economy.  The  classes  of  disease  met  within  poor-houses 
require  to  he  dealt  with  by  men  of  skill  and  experience,  and 
by  such  treatment  the  chances  are  greatly  increased  of  an 
early  convalescence,  and  the  consequent  relief  of  the  county 
from  further  expense. 

Such  men,  too,  can  more  readily  detect  the  attempts  at  impo- 
sition by  shamming  sickness, — attempts  not  unfrequently 
made.  We  can  hardly  conceive  it  possible  that  poor-houses 
can  be  well  served  when  such  beggarly  salaries  are  paid  to 
physicians. 

CLASSIFICATION  OF  INMATES. 

The  two  great  causes  of  pauperism,  as  of  crime,  are  drunk- 
enness and  licentiousness.  Hence,  in  most  poor-houses  a large 
proportion  of  the  inmates  have  been  brought  there  by  the 
drunkenness  or  lewdness  of  themselves  or  their  parents,  or 
those  upon  whom  they  are  dependent. 

The  immediate  victims  of  these  vices  of  both  sexes,  as 
found  in  poor-houses,  are  usually  degraded,  debased,  and 
thoroughly  corrupted  both  in  mind  and  body,  and  utterly  unfit 
for  any  association  with  the  comparatively  pure.  Besides 
these,  there  are  found  others,  who,  from  lives  of  criminal  or 
vicious  indulgences,  are  fit  companions  for  the  drunken  and 
the  lewd. 

While  these  classes  in  some  instances  constitute  the  major- 
ity of  those  found  in  our  alms-houses,  there  are  other  and 
entirely  different  classes  who  are  largely  represented  therein. 

There  are  those  who,  from  old  age,  accident,  disease,  or  in- 
firmity, and  without  fault  of  their  own,  are  unable  to  support 
themselves,  and  are  driven  to  the  poor-house.  There  are  weak- 
minded  and  imbecile  persons,  and  idiots,  and  the  incurable  in- 
sane; some  harmless  and  some  not.  Then,  there  are  children, 
some  young  and  helpless,  and  others  of  such  an  age  that  their 
characters  are  becoming  rapidly  formed,  and  who  are  receiving 
life-long  impressions  that  must  shape  their  whole  being. 


12 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


The  mingling  of  all  these  classes  together  can  only  result 
in  unmixed  evil. 

The  forced  association  of  the  good  with  the  bad  degrades 
and  corrupts  the  former,  without  improving  the  latter. 

Most  of  our  poor-houses  are  so  constructed  that  no  proper 
separation  and  classification  of  the  inmates  is  possible.  In 
some  of  the  largest  ones  it  could  be  done,  and  to  some  extent 
it  is  done,  although  very  imperfectly.  In  the  smaller  ones  the 
very  paucity  of  numbers  makes  classification  impracticable. 

The  result  is,  that  the  unfortunate  are  forced  to  mingle  with 
the  vicious  and  degraded  in  the  same  rooms,  and  in  all  the 
daily  employments  and  associations  of  life.  Professional  pros- 
titutes from  the  cities  associate  with  the  weak  and  innocent 
girl  whom  sickness  has  sent  to  this  last  refuge  of  poverty. 
Innocent  children  mingle  with  the  corrupt  and  vile  of  both 
sexes,  thus  taking  their  first  lessons  in  vice,  receiving  an  edu- 
cation for  a life  of  pauperism  and  crime.  Thus  in  Wayne 
county,  where  we  visited  the  poor-house,  there  wrere  over 
twenty  children  old  enough  to  go  to  school,  and  who  for  four 
hours  attended  a very  good  school,  but  for  the  rest  of  the  time 
mingled  without  restraint  with  the  various  inmates,  many 
of  whom  were  exceedingly  vile  in  more  senses  than  one. 

LABOR  AND  DISCIPLINE. 

We  take  it  to  be  the  settled  conviction  of  all  thought fu 
persons  who  have  made  the  treatment  of  pauperism  a study, 
that  all  inmates  of  poor-houses  should  be  sternly  required  to 
work  to  the  extent  of  their  ability;  and  this  is  not  merely  with 
reference  to  the  direct  benefit  which  the  public  may  derive 
from  that  labor,  but  with  reference  to  the  moral  and  physical 
welfare  of  the  inmates  themselves,  to  the  general  order  and 
discipline  of  the  institution,  and  also  with  reference  to  driving 
from  it  all  who  can  work  and  will  not. 

In  general,  the  poor-honsc  should  be  either  a work-house  or 
a hospital,  or  both  in  one,  and  all  who  are  not  fit  subjects  for 
the  hospital  should  be  required  to  work  ; work  regularly  and 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS.  IS 

systematically,  and  this  whether  they  can  accomplish  much  or 
little.  This,  of  course,  does  not  apply  to  those  who  are  too 
young  or  too  old  to  work,  and  yet  not  sick.  There  is  no  such 
foe  to  order  and  morality  as  idleness,  this  prolific  parent  of  all 
vice,  and  there  is  no  duty  upon  the  part  of  the  public  to  sup- 
port any  one  in  idleness  who  can  work.  There  is  also  a well- 
recognized  moral  power  in  work,  as  an  element  both  in  the 
building  up  and  the  reformation  of  character,  and  discipline 
and  order  cannot  well  be  enforced  without  it. 

From  our  examinations  and  inquiries  we  are  satisfied  that  a 
great  reformation,  both  in  the  matter  of  labor  and  discipline, 
is  needed.  To  some  extent,  and  in  some  poor-houses  to  a con- 
siderable extent,  the  inmates  do  work.  The  women  who  are 
able,  work  about  house,  help  to  take  care  of  the  sick  and 
helpless,  and  sew  for  the  establishment ; and  able-bodied  men 
work  on  the  farm.  But  there  are  in  most  poor-houses  a class 
of  men,  and  in  the  aggregate  a considerable  number,  who  can- 
not work  much  on  a farm,  and  yet  who  could  "work  very 
considerably  at  some  kind  of  mechanical  or  other  labor  in 
shops,  and  especially  is  this  the  case  in  the  winter  season, 
when  the  numbers  are  the  largest  and  there  is  little  on  the 
farm  to  be  done,  and  when  the  order  that  comes  from  work  is 
most  essential.  There  is  unquestionably  a great  practical  and 
economical  difficulty,  under  our  present  system,  of  introducing 
mechanical  labor  into  our  poor-houses.  The  number  that  can 
be  thus  employed  in  each  poor-house  is  so  limited,  that  it 
would  not  authorize  the  needful  expense  of  tools,  machinery, 
instructors  and  supervision.  That  the  power  of  labor  in  the 
inmates  of  our  poor-houses,  whatever  it  is,  should  be  utilized 
to  the  utmost  that  it  can  be  consistently  with  their  welfare,  is 
required  by  every  consideration  of  humanity,  economy,  good 
order  and  good  morals.  How  the  reform  can  be  best  intro- 
duced, we  will  hereafter  consider. 

EDUCATION  — MORAL  AND  INTELLECTUAL. 

The  law  wisely  requires  that  the  children  in  the  poor-houses 
over  five  and  under  eighteen  shall  be  educated,  and  where 


14 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


there  are  ten  or  more,  that  a school  shall  be  maintained  in  the 
building.  There  are  very  few  counties  in  which  there  are  ten 
children  of  the  required  age.  In  Wayne  county  we  found  a 
very  good  school,  and  in  some  others  schools  are  maintained, 
but  we  were  not  fortunate  enough  to  see  them.  Where  schools 
are  not  thus  maintained,  the  children  in  poor-houses  generally 
reap  but  liftle  benefit  from  the  provisions  of  law.  Some  of 
them  attend  district  schools;  others  are  taught  by  some 
inmate,  but  usually  without  much  system  or  success.  In  all 
cases  the  associations  of  the  children  at  the  poor-house  are 
calculated  to  defeat  the  great  end  of  education, — the  develop- 
ment and  elevation  of  the  pupil.  These  children  are  the 
wards  of  the  State,  and  the  State  has  the  deepest  interest  in 
raising  them  from  the  pauper  class ; and  it  seems  very  clear  to 
us,  that  some  other  provision  should  be  made  for  them,  and  of 
that  we  shall  also  hereafter  speak. 

No  provision  is  made  by  law  or  by  local  authority  for  fur- 
nishing means  of  culture  of  any  kind  to  any  other  class  of 
paupers.  There  are  no  libraries,  no  schools,  and  no  religious 
instruction  for  them.  In  some  counties,  benevolent  and 
religious  persons  have  occasionally  held  religious  services,  and 
have  organized  Sabbath  schools ; but  in  general,  the  Sabbath  is 
marked  only  by  a change  of  clothing  and  cessation  from  such 
labor  as  is  performed,  save  that  of  the  household  and  the 
hospital. 

THE  INSANE  AND  IDIOTIC. 

There  is  no  chapter  in  the  history  of  our  charitable  institu- 
tions so  fraught  with  painful  and  revolting  interest,  as  that 
which  relates  to  the  treatment  of  the  insane  and  the  idiotic 
in  our  poor-houses.  For  the  most  part  they  are  made  insane 
or  idiotic  without  their  own  fault,  but  whether  so  or  not,  their 
utter  helplessness  excites  our  commiseration,  and  their  want  of 
reason  and  self-control  excites  our  fears.  More  than  all  other 
classes,  they  require  the  tender  guardianship  of  the  State,  for 
in  no  other  way  can  they  be  properly  cared  for.  The  State  has 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS.  15 

erected  an  Asylum  for  their  custody  and  care  at  Kalamazoo, 
and  has  authorized  the  Superintendents  of  the  Poor  to  send 
insane  and  idiotic  paupers  there  or  elsewhere,  as  shall  best 
promote  the  interest  of  the  county  and  conduce  to  the  com- 
fort and  recovery  of  such  paupers.  The  Asylum  has  not 
sufficient  capacity  to  receive  and  care  for  one-half  of  the 
insane  of  the  State,  and  is  full  to  overflowing,  and  within  the 
last  year  more  than  one  hundred  applications  have  been  made 
for  admission  from  the  different  counties  of  the  State,  that 
were  from  necessity  rejected.  Then,  some  counties  prefer  to 
maintain  their  insane  and  idiotic  poor  at  the  poor-house,  be- 
cause it  is  cheaper.  The  result  is,  there  are  probably  in  the 
aggregate  more  than  two  hundred  insane  and  idiotic  inmates 
in  our  poor-houses. 

A portion  of  these  are  entirely  harmless,  and  mingle  with, 
and  are  treated  like  other  paupers,  hut  there  is  a large  number 
who  are  not  thus  harmless.  Their  condition  is  for  the  most 
part  deplorable,  and  in  some  instances  horrible  beyond 
description.  We  had  read  in  romance  and  in  history  of  such 
modes  of  treating  the  insane,  but  we  did  not  dream  that  in- 
stances of  it  could  be  found  in  our  State,  and  especially  in  some 
of  our  most  wealthy  counties.  Thus,  in  Calhoun  county,  we 
found  two  insane  women  and  one  boy  confined  in  low*,  dimly- 
lighted,  badly- ventilated  cells,  which,  in  winter,  could  not  be 
properly  w*armed.  In  one  of  them  there  wras  no  furniture 
whatever,  except  a coarse  board  frame  of  an  old  settee  without 
a bottom,  and  an  old  filthy,  long  cushion,  used  alternately 
as  a seat  and  a bed.  Its  inmate,  a woman,  when  we  saw  her, 
was  crouched  in  one  corner  of  this  cage,  wrapped  in  a filthy 
dress,  and  glared  like  a wild  beast  upon  all  who  looked  in  upon 
her.  Her  cell  was  cleaned  twfice  a day,  and  yet  she  lived  much 
of  the  time  in  her  own  filth.  The  other  cases  were  not  so  bad 
as  this,  but  they  had  some  of  its  characteristics.  We  speak 
of  this  case  the  more  freely  because  the  keeper  in  charge  of 
the  poor-house  seemed  an  intelligent,  capable,  humane  man, 


REPORT  OX  PEXAL  ANI) 


16 


and  keenly  felt  the  inhumanity  of  this  treatment,  but  his  duties 
in  managing  the  farm  and  caring  for  the  general  welfare  of 
the  institution  were  very  arduous,  demanding  his  entire  time 
and  thought.  He  was  entirely  unacquainted  with  the  man- 
agement of  the  insane,  was  supplied  with  insufficient  assist- 
ance, and  there  were  no  other  rooms  in  the  buildings  where 
these  poor  creatures  could  be  kept. 

There  is  no  room  to  doubt,  that  if  these  persons,  and  others 
similarly  situated,  were  in  an  asylum  for  the  insane,  they 
could,  by  proper  treatment,  be  taught  the  decencies  of  life,  and 
that  their  condition  would  in  every  respect  be  greatly 
ameliorated. 

In  Kent  county,  we  found  in  the  poor-house  twenty  insane 
persons  and  nine  idiots,  all  in  the  most  deplorable  condition, 
and  presenting  a most  revolting  spectacle. 

In  Allegan  county,  one  poor  insane  woman  was  found  in  a 
condition  where  her  suffering  from  cold  must  have  been  in- 
tense. 

In  Oakland  county,  where  the  poor-house  is  a new,  large, 
roomy  buiding,  there  are  good  rooms  for  the  insane,  but  un- 
fortunately there  are  no  proper  means  of  warming  them. 

In  Wayne  and  Washtenaw  counties  they  have  erected  sepa- 
rate buildings  for  the  insane.  In  this  way,  unquestionably, 
better  and  healthier  rooms  are  secured  to  them ; but  after  a 
careful  examination  and  consideration,  we  are  clearly  of  the 
opinion  that  the  attempt  to  treat  the  insane  in  county  poor- 
houses  is  a sad,  melancholy  failure,  and  must  continue  to  be 
so. 

The  successful  treatment  of  the  insane,  whether  for  mere 
custody  or  for  cure,  is  a science  by  itself.  To  fit  one  for  such 
treatment  requires,  in  addition  to  a natural  titness,  careful 
medical  and  other  instruction,  much  study,  and  large 
experience. 

These  qualifications  can  only  be  secured  by  good  salaries 
and  the  prospect  of  a permanent  situation.  That  the  ordi- 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


17 


nary  keepers  of  poor-houses  are  utterly  unlit  for  such  a 
position  will  be  readily  admitted.  The  counties  which  have 
built  or  may  build  separate  buildings  for  the  insane  cannot 
afford  to,  and  certainly  will  not,  employ  competent  men 
to  take  charge  of  them.  The  number  of  inmates  is,  and  will 
be  too  small,  and  the  expense  too  great  to  justify  it.  Beyond 
all  question  the  two  hundred  and  more  insane  paupers  not 
now  in  the  asylum  for  them  can  be  treated  much  more  advan- 
tageously and  far  more  economically  in  one  institution,  and 
under  one  supervision,  than  they  can  possibly  be  treated  in  the 
several  poor-houses,  if  they  are  properly  treated. 

Wayne  connty,  the  most  populous  one  in  the  State,  with  a 
far  greater  number  of  insane  paupers  than  any  other,  has 
tried  the  experiment  of  a separate  building  and  supervision, 
under  the  most  favorable  circumstances,  and  it  has  proved  a 
lamentable  failure.  The  building,  though  costing  about 
$21,000,  is  unfit  for  the  purpose,  as  any  building  must  measur- 
ably be,  that  any  county  in  this  State  will  undertake  to  build. 
There  is  a great  want  of  separate  rooms  for  the  treatment  of 
exceptional  cases  and  of  the  sick. 

The  cells  designed  for  the  refractory  and  violent  are  in  the 
basement,  without  light  or  ventilation  except  through  a grated 
opening  in  the  doors,  and  are  utterly  without  the  means  of 
being  warmed. 

But  the  great  failure  thus  far  has  been,  and  we  think  will 
be,  the  want  of  proper  care  and  supervision. 

The  first  keeper  appointed  was  utterly  unfit  for  the  place, 
and  his  treatment  of  some  of  the  inmates  was  at  times  exceed- 
ingly brutal.  The  second  retained  his  place  but  for  a few  weeks, 
being  found  incompetent  for  a proper  discharge  of  his  duties. 
And  such  must  be  the  case  with  any  that  the  counties  will 
be  likely  to  employ,  or  can  employ,  at  the  salaries  which  they 
will  pay. 

Nor  are  the  Superintendents  of  the  Poor,  as  a rule,  in  our 


18 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


opinion,  the  best  men  to  select  and  employ  such  officers,  or 
supervise  such  institutions. 

. OUR  PAUPER  SYSTEM  EXPENSES. 

Our  examination  and  inquiries  have  satisfied  us  that  our 
pauper  system,  as  it  now  exists  and  is  administered,  is  a very 
expensive  one,  and  we  shall  in  another  connection  refer  to  this 
feature  more  fully. 

GENERAL  REMARKS. 

We  have  thus  pointed  out  in  detail  some  of  the  defects  of 
our  poor-houses  and  their  administration.  We  desire  to  say 
that  w^e  found  many  things  to  approve. 

The  inmates  were  usually  supplied  with  an  abundance  of 
suitable  food,  and  were  treated  with  personal  kindness. 

The  farms  were  usually  in  a good  condition,  and  the  pecu- 
niary affairs  of  the  institutions  are  in  general  managed  with  a 
fair  degree  of  prudence  and  economy.  Indeed,  some  of  the 
defects  which  we  have  referred  to  result  from  an  unwise  econ- 
omy, to  call  it  by  no  harsher  name. 

The  Boards  of  Supervisors  appoint  the  Superintendents,  and 
fix  the  annual  appropriations  for  the  poor.  Beyond  this  they 
have  seemed  to  feel  little  responsibility.  Their  general  object 
is  to  reduce  the  county  expenses  to  the  lowest  possible  point, 
and  in  doing  this  they  often  do  a great  wrong  to  these  institu- 
tions, whose  wants  they  have  not  sufficiently  studied. 

The  Superintendents  are  embarrassed  by  pinching  appropria- 
tions, and  cannot  do  what  wisdom  and  humanity  require  to  be 
done.  Then,  too,  it  is  not  easy  to  find  a suitable  person  for 
keeper  of  the  poor-house  for  the  salary  which  is  or  can  be 
paid.  The  position  is  at  once  a disagreeable,  responsible,  and 
difficult  one.  The  keeper  should  understand  farming  well, 
and  should  be  a good  and  upright  man  of  business.  He  should 
also  understand  human  nature  in  all  its  phases,  and  have  the 
rare  power  of  governing  bad  men  and  women,  and  mainly  by 
moral  force.  He  should  be  patient,  kind,  forbearing,  sympa- 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


19 


thizing ; gentle  with  the  weak,  and  stern  with  the  obdurate- 
These  qualities,  absolutely  essential  to  a complete  administra- 
tion of  our  poor-house  system,  cannot,  in  general,  be  com- 
manded by  our  several  counties.  These  difficulties,  and  the 
other  defects  which  we  have  pointed  out,  and  others  which 
exist,  seem  to  demand  the  careful  consideration  of  the  Legis- 
lature, and  an  earnest  effort  to  find  a remedy. 


STATE  INSTITUTIONS. 

We  have  a more  pleasant  task  in  calling  your  attention  to 
the  penal  and  charitable  institutions  under  the  immediate 
control  of  the  State.  It  has  been  our  experience,  as  it  has 
been  that  of  our  investigators,  to  find,  as  a general  rule,  that 
institutions  of  the  kind  named,  not  under  some  general  cen- 
tral supervision,  are  subject  to  great  neglects  and  abuses,  and 
that  mere  local  supervision  is  inefficient  both  to  prevent  and 
expose  them. 

THE  ASYLUMS. 

We  have  doubted,  owing  to  the  somewhat  ambiguous  terms 
of  the  Resolution  under  which  we  act,  whether  we  were  author- 
ized to  visit  the  asylums  of  the  State,  but  at  the  suggestion  of 
your  Excellency  we  have  done  so,  and  the  result  has  been  most 
gratifying  to  ourselves. 

They  are  both  institutions  that  give  great  credit  to  the  State, 
and,  so  far  as  we  can  judge,  are  in  good  hands,  and  are  well 
managed  and  supervised. 

The  Asylum  for  the  Insane,  at  Kalamazoo,  is  full  to  overflow- 
ing, and  the  Principal  has  been  under  the  painful  necessity  of 
rejecting  a large  number  of  applications  for  admission.  These 
rejections  have  very  naturally  excited  jealousy  on  the  part  of 
some,  that  there  was  favoritism  exercised.  After  a careful 
inquiry  as  to  both  rejections  and  admissions,  we  are  satisfied  that 
the  Principal  has  acted  upon  the  right  principle  of  discrimina- 


20 


REPORT  OH"  PEHAL  AND 


tion,  both  as  to  the  character  of  the  patients  and  the  localities 
from  whence  they  have  been  received. 

He  lias  endeavored  to  give  preference  to  those  patients  who 
have  been  most  recently  attacked,  and  those  in  whose  cases 
there  is  the  most  hope  of  recovery ; and  to  fairly  distribute  the 
admissions  through  the  State.  That  in  some  given  cases  he 
may  have  misjudged  as  to  the  merits  of  the  different  appli- 
cations, is  not  only  possible,  but  it  is  almost  inevitable.  The 
true  remedy  is,  to  provide  more  extended  accommodations. 

We  are  gratified  to  find  in  our  visit  to  other  States,  that 
this,  our  oldest  and  only  complete  Asylum,  has  the  reputation 
abroad  of  being  one  of  the  best  institutions  of  the  kind  in  the 
Union. 

The  building  for  the  Educational  Institute  of  the  Deaf  and 
Dumb,  at  Flint,  is  not  yet  completed,  but  is  fast  approaching 
completion  under  the  w7atchful  supervision  of  Mr.  James  B. 
Walker,  Building  Commisssoner  and  Trustee.  It  will  be  a 
spacious,  convenient,  and  elegant  structure, — perhaps  some- 
what too  spacious  and  expensive  for  the  present  wants  of  the 
classes  for  whom  it  is  designed.  As  we  have  already  remarked, 
the  Institution  seems  to  be  well  managed  and  in  good 
condition. 

THE  STATE  PRISON. 

We  have  examined  with  considerable  care  into  the  condition 
of  the  State  Prison,  at  Jackson,  its  management,  and  its  general 
workings ; and  we  find  something  to  approve  and  something 
to  criticise. 

There  are  some  defects  of  location,  construction,  and  con- 
dition, for  which  the  present  management  are  in  no  way  respon- 
sible, yet  the  effects  of  which  they  very  sensibly  feel. 

The  prison  is  located  upon  a low,  w7et,  uninviting  spot,  with 
no  agreeable  surroundings,  and  the  construction  is  in  many 
respects  exceedingly  defective.  There  is  no  chapel,  and  no 
place  where  any  large  body  of  the  prisoners  can  be  gathered 
together  for  any  purpose,  except  in  the  low,  dingy  dining- 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


21 


room.  There  is  no  school-room,  no  bathing  facilities;  the 
hospital  accommodations  are  insufficient,  and  the  cells  very 
poorly  ventilated.  The  yard  walls  are  low,  and  in  many 
places  seem  almost  ready  to  tumble  down,  and  are  exceedingly 
insecure. 

This  insecurity  presents  one  of  the  most  serious  obstacles  to 
good  discipline  that  exists.  It  is  a constant  temptation  to 
efforts  and  conspiracies  to  escape  ; and  the  hope  of  escape  tends 
strongly  to  unsettle  the  minds  of  the  convicts,  make  them 
unwilling  to  work,  indifferent  to  good  conduct,  insubordinate, 
and  fortifies  them  against  reformatory  influences.  The  first 
deep  impression  that  should  be  made  upon  the  mind  of  the 
convict  is,  that  he  cannot  escape ; that  the  law  is  too  strong 
for  him,  and  that  efforts  in  that  direction  are  unavailing. 
Then,  and  only  then,  will  he  settle  down  to  a sense  of  his  true 
condition. 

But,  besides  these  defects  in  location  and  construction,  there 
are  other  defects  in  the  condition  of  grounds  and  building 
for  which  the  management  is  responsible.  As  compared  with 
some  prisons  which  we  have  visited  elsewhere,  there  is  a great 
want  of  order,  neatness,  and  taste  in  the  prison  yard  and  its 
surroundings, — a careless,  shabby  look,  almost  indescribable 
without  going  into  great  detail,  and  yet  which  is  felt  by  all 
those  who  have  a higher  ideal  before  them  of  what  such 
grounds  should  be.  Some  of  the  wooden  buildings  within  the 
enclosure  are  in  a dilapidated,  ruinous  condition,  and  should 
either  be  torn  down  or  repaired.  These  will  be  considered 
small  matters  by  many,  but  they  aid  very  greatly  in  giving 
character  to  the  institution,  and  they  affect  the  credit  of  the 
State. 

One  very  great  improvement  has  been  made  since  our  first 
visit.  A building  has  been  erected  for  the  insane  convicts, 
with  large,  airy  cells,  and  with  an  abundance  of  light  and  air. 
The  improvement  in  the  condition  of  these  men  is  very  mani- 
fest. Heretofore  it  has  been  deplorable.  Still  the  fact  exists, 


22 


EEPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


that  they  are  under  the  care  of  men  who  have  no  experience 
or  skill  in  administering  to  the  mind  diseased  ; and  is  it  not  a 
serious  question  whether — when  the  insanity  of  the  convict  is 
clear — he  should  not  be  treated  like  other  insane  persons  ? 
He  is  no  longer  a fit  subject  either  for  punishment  or  reform, 
but  for  cure  or  skilled  custody. 

So  far  as  we  can  judge,  the  business  interests  of  the  prison 
are  managed  with  fidelity  and  skill  by  the  present  Agent,  and 
it  is  more  than  paying  expenses.  This  is  a very  gratifying 
result,  and  creditable  to  that  officer ; still,  the  prison  was  not 
established  to  make  money,  and  whether  it  does  so  or  not  is  a 
question  entirely  subordinate  to  the  question  whether  it  is  so 
administered  as  to  accomplish  all  the  good  to  society  for  which 
it  was  designed,  and  which  it  is  capable  of  accomplishing. 

Whether  the  discipline  of  the  prison  is  what  it  should  be, 
and  whether  the  convicts  are  treated  as  they  ought  to  be,  so  as 
best  to  accomplish  that  good,  are  questions  upon  which  differ- 
ent persons  will  materially  differ  in  ©pinion,  and  this  difference 
will  depend  mainly  upon  the  different  theories  entertained  as 
to  the  object  and  purpose  of  the  punishment  of  convicts,  and 
the  end  sought  thereby.  All  will  agree  that  an  incidental  pur- 
pose of  punishment  is  its  deterring  influences  in  preventing 
others  from  committing  similar  crimes,  and  that  an  incidental 
purpose  of  imprisonment  is  for  the  time  being  to  secure  society 
from  the  further  crimes  of  the  convict  himself,  by  making  it 
impossible  for  him  to  commit  them ; but  these  are  not  the 
leading  or  principal  purposes. 

One  theory,  and  until  recently  the  common  one,  is  that  the 
leading  object  of  the  imprisonment  of  convicts  is  to  punish 
them  for  crimes  committed,  by  depriving  them  of  all  the 
ordinary  enjoyments  of  life  not  essential  to  its  continued  and 
healthful  existence,  and  by  close  imprisonment  and  compul- 
sory labors  for  a given  time,  or  for  life.  In  other  words,  they 
are  to  be  treated  as  so  many  human  machines  submitted  to 
the  custody  of  the  law,  to  be  worked  in  prison  for  a given  time, 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS*. 


23 


or  for  life,  and  to  be  kept  in  good  working  order,  so  as  to 
accomplish  the  greatest  amount  of  labor  possible.  This  theory 
requires  that  the  convicts  be  well  fed,  not  over-worked  or 
cruelly  treated,  and  that  they  be  subjected  to  a rigid  discipline, 
so  that  order  be  maintained  and  the  work  be  done ; but  it 
entirely  loses  sight  of  the  welfare  of  the  convict  and  the 
security  of  society  when  he  shall  be  discharged  from  custody, 
if  discharged  at  all,  and  the  practical  working  of  this  theory 
has  demonstrated  that  convicts  are  made  worse,  and  not  better, 
by  its  adoption, — that  as  a rule  they  are  greater  criminals  after 
imprisonment  than  before,  and  that  society  has  much  more  to 
fear  from  them  than  ever. 

Another  theory  is,  that  the  State  occupies  towards  criminals 
somewhat  the  relation  of  a parent  to  a sinning  child, — that 
while  he  is  to  be  punished,  punishment  is  not  an  end  but  a 
means,  and  that  the  leading  object  of  punishment  is  to  reform 
the  criminal  and  restore  him  to  society  as  a safe  and  useful 
member  thereof ; and  that  the  mode  of  punishment,  discipline, 
and  treatment  must  have  primal  reference  to  this  great  end. 
Of  course  there  lies  at  the  foundation  of  this  theory  a firm 
faith  in  the  possibility  of  this  reformation  of  criminals,  and 
without  this  faith  it  cannot  exist.  The  advocates  of  this  theory 
are  rapidly  increasing,  both  among  practical  men,  familiar  with 
prison  management,  and  intelligent,  thoughtful,  Christian  phi- 
lanthropists ; and  they  claim  that  the  experiments  of  the  last 
half  century  in  Norfolk  Island,  in  France,  Germany,  Ireland* 
and  in  this  country,  have  proved  that,  by  a proper  course  of 
reformatory  treatment,  a very  large  percentage  of  convicts  may 
be  reformed  and  made  safe  and  useful  members  of  society. 
We  shall  hereafter  discuss  more  fully  this  reformatory  system, 
and  we  merely  remark  here  that  it  involves  the  use  of  indus- 
trial, educational,  moral  and  religious  agencies,  and  an  earnest 
attempt  to  fit  convicts  to  become  good  citizens,  and  to  procure 
employment  for  them  on  their  discharge;  that  it  does  not 
involve  a lax  discipline,  but,  on  the  contrary,  it  demands  a 


24 


KEPOET  ON  PENAL  AND 


discipline,  kindly  yet  firm,  and,  if  necessary,  inexorable.  It, 
however,  encourages  hope,  rewards  good  conduct,  and  seeks  to 
arouse  the  energies  of  the  convict  for  his  own  reformation. 

Such  a theory  has  only  been,  and  can  only  be,  successful  in 
practice,  when  administered  by  capable  men  and  women,  whose 
hearts  are  in  the  work,  and  who  have  an  abiding  faith  in  the 
possibility  of  reforming  a large  proportion  of  the  persons 
placed  under  their  charge. 

If  judged  by  the  theory  first  above  mentioned,  as  to  the 
leading  object  of  imprisonment,  we  think  our  State  Prison  is 
reasonably  well  managed.  Discipline  and  order  among  the 
convicts  are  well  maintained,  and  they  are,  as  a rule,  well  fed 
and  not  overworked,  or  cruelly  treated ; but  we  have  reason 
to  fear  that  there  are  exceptions  to  this  general  rule. 

Judged  by  the  other  theory  given,  we  think  the  manage- 
ment of  the  prison  comes  far  short  of  the  reformatory  system 
inculcated  in  theory,  and  as  exemplified  in  practice,  and  we 
think  a change  could  very  advantageously  be  made  in  this 
direction.  Something  has  already  been  done.  Valuable  addi- 
tions to  the  library  have  been  made,  and  prisoners  are  encour- 
aged to  read.  The  chaplain  seeks  to  win  their  confidence, 
makes  himself  their  friend,  and  leads  their  thoughts  to  higher 
and  more  sacred  things.  The  want  of  a chapel  and  a school- 
room is  sadly  felt,  and  the  contract  system  interferes  somewhat 
with  that  entire  control  of  the  prisoners  by  the  Agent  which 
is  desirable.  The  commutation  system  is  a move  in  the  right 
direction,  and  works  wrell ; and  the  Agent  has  recommended  a 
most  desirable  provision,  by  which  good  conduct  shall  be 
rewarded,  by  permitting  the  family  of  the  convict  to  share  his 
earnings.  But  under  the  system  established  at  Jackson,  con- 
victs are  not  made  to  feel  that  their  punishment  is  reformatory 
in  its  character,  and  that  it  is  expected  of  them  that  they  are 
to  grow  better  under  it,  and  that  a deep  interest  is  felt  by 
society  in  that  result,  and  that  every  effort  at  reform  will  meet 
with  warm-hearted  sympathy.  There  is  no  immediate  motive 
before  them  for  especial  good  conduct.  It  brings  no  immuni- 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS.  25 

ties,  no  privileges,  no  distinction.  In  long  terms,  the  hope  of 
abbreviating  the  time  of  detention  is  too  weak  to  operate  with 
much  power.  There  is  no  attempt  at  classification  on  the  basis 
of  character  or  meritorious  conduct.  Their  very  dress,  the 
detested  prison  stripe,  is  at  ouce  a badge  and  an  instrument  of 
degradation,  when  the  great  effort  should  be  to  arouse  self- 
respect,  and  stimulate  to  self-amendment  and  elevation. 

Without  discussing  the  question  whether  flogging  should 
ever  be  resorted  to,  we  think  it  is  administered  here  quite  too 
frequently,  and  on  occasions  when  it  should  not  be.  It  was 
administered  twenty-nine  times  during  the  last  year,  and  i3 
resorted  to  occasionally,  simply  to  compel  a confession,  and 
sometimes  even  to  compel  the  confession  of  the  motive  of  an 
act.  Thus,  when  some  prisoners  escaped,  it  was  ascertained 
that  one  who  had  not  escaped  had  made  and  hung  some  iron 
balls  like  slung  shot,  which  were  used  by  the  escaping  prison- 
ers. The  convict  admitted  the  making  of  the  balls,  but 
claimed  that  he  made  them  to  use  about  a machine  where  he 
was  at  work.  He  was  whipped  to  compel  a confession  that  he 
had  made  them  for  the  use  of  the  escaping  prisoners,  and  was 
whipped  until  he  did  confess,  and  then  the  whipping  was  sus- 
pended. He  was  not  whipped  for  the  act , but  to  wring  from 
him,  by  the  torture  of  the  lash,  a confession  of  the  motive  of 
the  act. 

So,  a convict,  in  attempting  to  escape,  dropped  a knife,  which 
he  had  made  from  an  old  file.  He  was  asked  for  what  he  made 
the  knife.  He  gave  a false  reason,  and  was  whipped  until  he 
confessed  that  he  made  it  to  use  in  his  contemplated  escape. 
He  was  not  whipped  for  the  attempted  escape,  or  for  making 
the  knife,  but  to  compel  a confession,  and  the  whipping  was 
continued  until  he  did  confess.  This  torture,  to  compel  a con- 
fession, belongs  to  the  Inquisition  and  to  past  ages.  It  as 
often  compels  the  victim  to  utter  a falsehood  to  end  the  tor- 
ture, as  to  reveal  the  truth,  and  has  about  it  no  commendatory 
features. 


4 


26 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


The  general  concurrence  of  those  who  have  considered  the 
subject  seems  to  be,  that  flogging  tends  to  degrade  the  victim, 
and  brutalize* both  those  who  inflict  and  those  who  witness  it; 
and  if  resorted  to  at  all,  it  should  only  be  in  extreme  cases. 
From  the  very  nature  of  the  mode  of  punishment,  it  is  very 
apt  to  be  inflicted  in  the  heat  of  passion  rather  than  with 
judicial  calmness. 

We  have  thus  felt  it  our  duty,  under  the  requirement  of 
the  Resolution, — to  make  “fuT  minutes  of  all  the  defects” 
which  we  discover, — to  point  out  what  we  consider  the  defects 
in  the  management  of  our  State  Prison.  As  we  have  already 
said,  in  many  respects  we  find  that  management  worthy  of 
praise,  and  we  entertain  no  doubt  that  the  future  will  see 
marked  improvements  in  other  respects. 

The  salary  paid  to  the  Agent  is  utterly  inadequate  for  the 
duties  imposed  upon  him,  and  which  he  does  perform.  We 
think  both  the  mode  of  his  appointment  and  his  term  of  office 
open  to  great  objections.  But  these  subjects  we  shall  hereafter 
consider. 

REFORM  SCHOOL. 

There  is  no  class  of  institutions  in  which  we  have  become 
more  profoundly  interested  than  in  those  established  for  the 
reform  of  juvenile  offenders.  We  have  examined  several  of 
them  with  care,  and  inquired  into  their  workings,  and  through 
reports  and  printed  volumes  have  endeavored  to  inform  our- 
selves thoroughly  as  to  others, — their  history,  their  workings, 
and  their  stccess.  Whatever  doubts  there  may  be  as  to  the 
possibility  of  reforming  adult  persons  convicted  to  crime, 
there  are  none  whatever  as  to  the  possibility  of  reforming  a 
large  proportion  of  juvenile  offenders.  This  has  been  fully 
proved,  both  in  this  country  and  in  Europe,  and  that  such  in- 
stitutions are  to  be  considered  among  the  most  efficient  means 
for  the  prevention  of  both  crime  and  pauperism,  cannot  be 
doubted.  The  class  of  children  committed  to  them  have,  for 
the  most  part,  come  from  the  class  of  vagrants,  and  therefore 


i 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


27 


the  most  unlikely  subjects  of  reform,  yet  the  statistics  show  that 
from  fifty  to  seventy  per  cent  of  all  the  discharged  inmates  live 
decent  and  reputable  lives,  while  many  of  them  have  become 
men  of  marked  respectability  and  worth  in  their  localities. 
These  institutions  have  been  in  the  main  conducted  with 
especial  reference  to  the  reformation  of  their  inmates  by  the 
power  of  religious  principle,  by  the  kindly  discipline  of  the 
school,  the  work-shop,  the  farm,  and  the  family;  and  just  in 
proportion  as  they  have  assumed  a penitentiary  character,  they 
have  failed.  The  success  of  all  reformatory  institutions  must 
depend  very  much  upon  the  personal  character  and  efforts  of 
those  who  are  at  the  head. 

No  mere  routine,  no  system  merely  mechanical,  has  ever 
given  or  can  give  success.  They  must  be  pervaded  by  the  true 
spirit  of  Christian  reform,  and  this  must  be  caught  from  and 
infused  by  the  Principal,  or  by  those  in  charge;  otherwise  the 
success  must  be  very  imperfect. 

While  we  cannot  claim  for  our  Reform  School  that  it  is  a 
model  institution,  yet  we  have  been  in  most  respects  favorably 
impressed  with  its  management.  The  Principal  seems  deeply 
imbued  with  the  true  Christian  spirit  of  benevolence,  and 
clearly  comprehends  the  idea  that  the  institution  is  intended 
to  be  reformatory  in  its  character  rather  than  punitive, — that 
it  is  a school  and  not  a prison,  and  is  making  earnest,  and  to 
a very  considerable  extent  successful,  efforts  to  impress  this 
character  upon  the  Reform  School.  A large  experience,  and  a 
careful  study  of  the  spirit  and  the  method  of  some  of  the  best 
institutions  of  the  kind,  will  no  doubt  enable  him  to  improve 
the  management  of  this. 

As  compared  with  some  institutions  which  we  have  visited, 
it  seems  to  us  that  it  could  be  improved,  among  other  things, 
in  the  general  aspect  of  the  grounds,  both  inside  and  outside 
of  the  inclosed  yard,  so  that  order,  neatness,  and  taste  should 
be  a more  marked  characteristic  thereof;  by  the  better  classifi- 
cation of  its  inmates  with  reference  to  character  and  conduct; 


28 


REPORT  ON  PEKAL  AND 


by  a more  perfect  system  of  grading  and  marking,  so  that  good 
conduct  should  more  certainly  and  obviously  insure  its 
rewards,  and  bad  conduct  its  penalties,  and  by  a more  special 
and  earnest  effort  to  prepare  its  inmates  for  a speedy  discharge 
from  the  school,  the  finding  of  a proper  place  for  them  in 
private  families,  and  the  careful  looking  after  them  when  thus 
discharged. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Pierce,  now  and  for  some  years  Chaplain  of 
the  New  York  House  of  Refuge,  and  previously  the  Principal 
of  the  Reform  School  for  Girls,  at  Lancaster,  Massachusetts, 
says  in  his  “Half  a Century  with  Juvenile  Delinquents,”  “all 
institutional  life  is  unnatural,  and  no  child  should  be  confined 
in  any  one,  however  improving,  longer  than  is  indispensable  to 
prepare  it  for  the  natural  home  in  a family,  where  it  must 
certainly  and  ultimately  live.  We  should  never  weary  of  the 
experiment  of  placing  the  child  in  a home.  If  it  fails  in  one, 
it  may  find  a congenial  atmosphere  in  another.” 

There  is  no  better  authority  on  this  subject,  and  his  opinion 
is,  we  think,  in  accord  with  that  of  most  others  who  have  given 
much  thought  to  the  subject.  The  child  should  not  be  kept 
so  long  that  this  institutional  life,  in  the  midst  of  congregated 
boyhood,  becomes  either  habitual  or  attractive,  and  so  that  a 
life  of  toil  in  a quiet  country  family  seems  dull  and  monoto- 
nous ; and  yet  they  need  to  be  kept  long  enough  to  break  up 
the  vagrant,  roaming  habits  which  have  been  formed,  and 
until  they  have  been  trained  to  regular  industry,  so  that  it  has 
become  a habit,  and  until  they  have  received  a rudimental 
education  and  have  developed  a good  moral  purpose.  As  soon 
as  this  is  done,  they  may  and  should  be  returned  to  their 
friends,  or  intrusted  to  families  of  farmers  or  mechanics  care- 
fully selected,  still  subject  to  the  kindly  supervision  and 
watchful  care  of  the  institution,  or  absolutely  discharged.  The 
time  required  for  this  preparation  will,  of  course,  vary  with 
the  character  and  age  of  the  child,  the  wisdom  of  the  treat- 
ment, and  with  the  other  circumstances  of  the  case.  The  judg- 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


29 


ment  of  the  Principal  and  of  the  Supervising  Board  must,  of 
course,  be  entitled  to  great,  if  not  decisive  weight,  in  deter- 
mining when  the  inmate  is  fitted  to  leave.  It  must,  however 
be  borne  in  mind  that  the  Principal  would  naturally  feel  a 
reluctance  to  part  with  an  inmate  whose  conduct  was  good, 
who  was  in  every  way  improving,  and  who  had  become  an 
example  to  others,  and  had  acquired  skill  in  labor. 

There  are  two  distinct  classes  of  Reformatory  Institutions 
for  Juveniles,  viz:  those  conducted  upon  the  congregated  sys 
tern,  and  those  conducted  on  what  is  called  the  family  system. 

In  those  conducted  upon  the  congregated  system,  the  inmates 
are  gathered  in  one  large  building,  and  to  a greater  or  less 
extent  mingle  freely  with  each  other  in  the  play-ground,  the 
dining-hall,  the  school-room,  and  the  work-shop,  subject,  how- 
ever, to  classification,  oversight,  and  various  regulations.  In 
some  they  have  separate  dormitories,  and  in  some  they  sleep  in 
large  rooms  which  are  subjected  to  careful  supervision.  There 
is  usually  a strong  wall  or  high  fence  around  the  yard  where 
the  inmates  are  permitted  to  be,  to  prevent  escape. 

Under  the  family  system,  there  are  no  high  enclosures,  and 
the  obstacles  to  escape  are  moral  rather  than  physical.  The 
inmates  are  placed  in  separate  houses  scattered  about  the 
grounds,  each  house  containing  from  thirty  to  fifty  inmates. 
In  the  Industrial  School  for  Girls  at  Lancaster,  Mass.,  which 
may  be  termed  a model  school  of  this  class,  there  are  five  sep- 
arate buildings  for  scholars,  with  accommodations  for  thirty 
in  each  building,  and  in  each  is  a matron,  a teacher,  and  a 
housekeeper.  Each  house  has  its  separate  school-room,  and 
each  household  is  a distinct  family  by  itself,  holding  very  little 
intercourse  with  the  others. 

They  only  meet  together  in  the  chapel  for  worship,  singing, 
etc.  The  theory  is,  that  as  far  as  possible  the  family  life  should 
be  preserved,  and  that  each  inmate  should  be  brought  into 
intimate  and  kindly  relations  with  the  matron  and  the  teacher, 
who  are  supposed  to  be  fitted  kindly  and  wisely  to. guide,  con- 


30 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


trol,  and  educate  the  objects  of  their  charge,  and  develop  their 
higher  natures.  In  boys’  schools  they  usually  have  a man  and 
his  wife  at  the  head  of  each  family.  In  some  schools  on  the 
family  system,  the  inmates  of  all  the  houses  attend  the  same 
school,  and  eat  at  the  same  table. 

Some  of  the  most  successful  reformatory  institutions  of 
Europe,  both  for  boys  and  for  girls,  are  upon  this  plan,  as  are 
quite  a number  in  this  country.  Of  this  class  are  the  Reform 
Schools  of  New  Jersey,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Wisconsin,  and  of 
Chicago ; while  a majority  of  all  are  upon  the  congregational 
system,  including  the  largest,  and  in  many  respects  the  best 
and  most  successful  of  all,  the  New  York  House  of  Refuge, 
we  think  it  too  early  yet  to  determine  which  of  the  two  sys- 
tems is  entitled  to  a decided  preference,  if  either.  One  prac- 
tical difficulty  in  the  family  system  in  this  country  is  the 
securing  of  a sufficient  number  of  proper  persons  to  put  at  the 
head  of  each  household. 

The  number  of  persons  fitted  for  the  position  is  very  small, 
and  that  number  cannot  be  obtained  at  the  prices  which  are 
or  will  be  paid,  especially  as  a Principal  to  preside  over  the 
institution,  as  a whole,  would  still  be  required,  of  the  same 
eminent  capacity  as  in  a congregated  one. 

In  Europe  the  same  difficulties  do  not  exist  as  to  obtaining 
a proper  “house-mother,”  “house-fathers,”  “ elder  brothers,” 
etc.,  for  the  several  houses.  Persons  are  trained  for  this  pur- 
pose as  for  a Christian  duty.  Their  places  are  comparatively 
permanent,  and  the  success  of  these  schools  is  largely  depend- 
ent on  these  facts. 

The  “Reform  School  for  Boys,”  at  Westborough,  Mass.,  is 
upon  a mixed  system,  having  a large  central  building  upon 
the  congregated  plan,  and  several  houses,  accommodating 
thirty  each,  under  the  care  of  a man  and  his  wife.  Rev.  Mr 
Wines,  the  Secretary  of  the  Prison  Association  of  New  York, 
thus  describes  and  speaks  of  the  workings  of  this  system : 

“ All  the  boys  committed  to  the  Institution  are  first  placed 
in  the  congregated  department,  from  which,  as  a reward  of 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


31 


merit,  they  are  promoted  to  one  of  the  families  when  vacancies 
occur  in  these  by  the  discharge  of  their  inmates.  The  mem- 
bers of  a family  hold  their  positions  subject  to  a forfeiture  by 
misconduct,  in  consequence  of  which,  and  as  a punishment 
therefor,  they  are  sent  back  to  the  congregated  department. 
This  arrangement  is  found  in  practice  to  operate  as  a power- 
ful stimulus  to  good  conduct;  first,  as  a means  of  purchasing 
a place  in  the  family,  where  greater  freedom  and  increased 
privileges  are  enjoyed,  and  no  less,  secondly,  as  a means  of  re- 
taining it.” 

The  judgment  of  the  trustees  on  this  point  is  thus  expressed 
in  their  report:  “ We  think  the  two  systems,  the  congregate 
and  the  family  combined,  are  better  than  either  separate.” 

And  it  must  be  admitted  that  there  are  adyantages  lying  on 
the  surface,  and  obvious  at  a glance,  in  this  combination. 

Our  own  school  has  already  one  house  outside  of  the  high 
enclosure  intended  for  safe  custody,  and  we  believe  that  it  is 
proposed  to  erect  another,  and  gradually,  if  they  operate  well, 
to  work  into  the  mixed  system.  Our  own  judgment  favors 
this  plan.  We  may  safely  pronounce  our  Reform  School  thus 
far,  a success.  While  it  has  not  accomplished  all  the  good  that 
the  most  sanguine  anticipated,  nor  all  that  it  can  do,  it  has 
been,  and  is  doing,  a good  work  in  rescuing  from  a life  of 
vagrancy  and  crime  a very  large  number  of  its  inmates ; and 
under  the  improved  management  that  will  come  from  a larger 
experience  and  a more  profound  study,  we  may  confidently 
anticipate  a greatly  increased  usefulness. 

DETROIT  HOUSE  OF  CORRECTION. 

This  institution  has  been  in  operation  but  a few  years,  but 
it  has  already  acquired  a wide-spread  and  almost  a national 
reputation  for  remarkable  success  in  several  particulars. 

1st.  For  its  pecuniary  success. 

2d.  For  its  success  in  maintaining  a high  standard  of 
discipline,  without  the  use  of  the  lash  or  similar  modes  of 
punishment. 


32 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


3d.  For  its  success  as  an  educational  and  reformatory  insti- 
tution. 

This  fact  has  led  us  to  examine  carefully  into  its  manage- 
ment and  general  workings. 

It  was  peculiarly  fortunate  in  obtaining  for  its  Superintend- 
ent one  who  had  been  educated  for  such  work,  and  who 
expected  to  make  the  management  of  prisoners  a lifelong  busi- 
ness. He  was  not  appointed  as  a reward  for  political  services, 
or  with  any  reference  to  his  political  opinions,  but  he  was 
sought  out  in  anather  State,  and  selected  and  employed  as 
sensible  business  men  would  select  and  employ  an  agent  for 
a responsible  position,  with  sole  reference  to  his  peculiar  fitness 
for  the  position  ; and  a salary  has  been  paid  sufficient  to 
obtain  and  retain  his  services. 

The  result  is,  that  with  prisoners  whose  confinement  averages 
but  about  one  hundred  days,  during  the  eight  years  of  its 
existence  the  earnings  of  the  House  of  Correction,  over 
expenses  and  deficits,  have  been  sixty-nine  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  thirty-seven  dollars  and  eighty-three  cents. 

Its  deficits  were  all  within  the  first  two  years,  so  that  in  the 
last  six  years  its  surplus  has  been  eighty-one  thousand  three 
hundred  and  seventeen  dollars  and  ninety-seven  cents,  or  an 
average  of  thirteen  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty-three 
dollars  per  annum. 

We  find  that  there  is  no  practical  difficulty  in  maintaining 
discipline  without  the  lash  or  similar  punishments. 

A spirit  of  order  and  obedience  to  the  established  rules  gen- 
erally pervades  the  institution,  and  flagrant  disobedience  is 
very  rare. 

But  we  have  been  especially  interested  in  the  reformatory 
efforts  here  put  forth,  and  their  results. 

We  think  the  efforts  may  be  thus  classified:  1st,  Sanitary ; 
2d,  Educational ; 3d,  Moral  and  Religious. 

1st.  Of  the  Sanitary.  Good  ventilation  is  secured,  and  clean- 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


33 


liness  is  everywhere  enforced,  both  of  the  cells  and  rooms  and 
of  the  person. 

There  are  ample  opportunities  for  bathing  the  whole  person, 
and  it  is  required  as  often  as  once  a week,  and  sometimes 
oftener.  The  result  is  that  the  health  of  the  prisoners  is 
remarkably  good. 

Dr.  Brown,  in  his  report  for  the  year  1869,  says  it  has  been 
“ one  of  uninterrupted  good  health,”  and  adds  that  they  are 
indebted  for  this  “ to  the  perfect  ventilation  of  all  the  wards, 
the  system  of  cleanliness  enforced  in  every  department,  the 
frequent  bathing  of  inmates,  and  the  sound  and  wholesome 
provision  furnished.”  During  the  past  hot  summer  the  same 
general  health  has  prevailed. 

This  cleanliness  and  good  health  is  a good  foundation  for 
other  reformatory  effort. 

2d.  Educational.  The  school  is  a very  marked  feature  in 
the  House  of  Correction,  and  its  success  in  arousing  the 
inmates  to  aspire  to  a higher  ideal  of  life  than  they  have  before 
cherished,  and  to  an  earnest  effort  to  cultivate  their  faculties, 
is  very  marked.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that,  as  in  most 
prisons  for  adults,  the  majority  of  the  prisoners  are  under 
thirty  years  of  age,  and  nearly  half  of  them  are  under  twenty- 
five. 

The  school  is  held  two  evenings  in  the  week  in  the  chapel, 
which  is  so  arranged  that  both  men  and  women  may  be  pres- 
ent without  seeing  each  other.  It  is  under  the  charge  of  an 
accomplished  teacher,  Mr.  Tarbell,  of  the  Bishop  Union 
School,  assisted  by  the  chaplain,  wiiile  Miss  Hall,  also  a most 
capable  teacher,  has  special  charge  of  the  women’s  school. 

Mr.  Tarbell  says:  “The  change  in  the  appearance  of  the 
prisoners  is  very  manifest.”  “ Those  who  arc  doing  the  best 
are  the  young  men  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  years  of  age.” 

In  addition  to  the  ordinary  course  of  teaching  in  classes, 
Mr.  Tarbell  gives  them  a short  lecture  upon  some  interesting 
topic  connected  with  their  education.  In  addition  to  this 


34 


REPORT  OK  PEKAL  AND 


school,  every  Saturday  afternoon  during  the  winter  season  the 
prisoners  are  collected  in  the  chapel  to  listen  to  a short  lec- 
ture upon  some  interesting  subject.  These  courses  of  lectures 
have  been  really  very  valuable,  and  have  deeply  interested  the 
prisoners. 

They  have  access  also  to  a very  good  library,  and  books 
therefrom  are  distributed  to  them  by  the  chaplain. 

3d.  Moral  and  Religious  Efforts.  All  experience  in  attempts 
to  reform  prisoners  has  shown  the  importance  of  moral  and 
religious  forces  as  elements  in  any  true  reform.  Such  forces 
seem  to  have  become  especially  potent  here.  The  prisoners 
are  made  to  feel  that  the  chaplain  is  their  sympathizing  friend. 

He  treats  them  not  as  a class  by  themselves,  of  criminals, 
but  as  men  and  Avomen  needing  sympathy  and  help — needing 
the  strength  and  consolation  which  come  from  penitence  and 
from  faith  in  a redeeming  Saviour.  They  are  earnestly  taught 
that  they  not  only  may , but  that  they  ought  to  become  true 
Christians,  and  respectable  members  of  society.  Profound 
religious  impressions  seem  to  have  been  made  that  are  bring- 
ing forth  their  legitimate  fruit  in  this  life. 

Besides  these  special  efforts,  care  is  taken  to  make  the  pris- 
oners feel  that  the  very  purpose  of  the  punishment  to  which 
they  are  subjected  is  correctional  and  curative,  not  merely 
punitive,  and  that  the  officers  in  charge,  as  well  as  society  in 
general,  are  really  seeking  the  good  of  the  imprisoned,  and 
that  in  this,  their  own  help  and  co-operation  arc  sought  and  are 
needed.  After  careful  inquiry  we  are  satisfied  that  the  result 
of  these  reformatory  efforts  is  hopeful  and  cheering.  Those 
results  cannot  be  reduced  to  figures,  or  in  any  way  very  accur- 
ately measured,  but  that  many  men  and  women  have  been 
truly  reformed,  there  seems  to  be  no  doubt.  What  has  been 
accomplished  is  sufficient  to  stimulate  to  greater  efforts  in  the 
same  direction. 

Amongst  other  things  desirable  to  complete  a system  of 
reformatory  measures  are,  first,  facilities  for  testing  the  char- 


REFORMATORY  IKSTITUTIO N S. 


35 


acters  of  those  hopefully  reformed  before  their  absolute  dis- 
charge, and,  secondly , an  efficient  agency  to  procure,  as  far  as 
possible,  home  employment  upon  discharge. 

Experience  here,  as  elsewhere,  has  clearly  shown  that  pris- 
oners confined  for  short  terms  are  not  within  the  reach  of 
educational  or  reformatory  infiuenees,  and  that  they  are  dis- 
charged without  improvement,  and  to  a great  exent  to  go 
through  again  the  same  routine  of  drunkenness,  disorder, 
profligacy,  crime,  arrest,  conviction,  and  imprisonment. 

It  may  be  asked,  what  good  purpose  is  served  by  such  a 
system  ? 

The  House  of  Shelter  for  Women,  under  the  care  of  Mrs. 
Wiggins,  as  matron,  and  Miss  Hall,  as  teacher,  seems  to  be 
arranged  very  judiciously,  and  gives  promise  of  great  good  in 
its  efforts  to  restore  sinning  women  to  usefulness. 

The  value  of  such  a refuge  to  the  weak  and  erring  cannot 
well  be  estimated. 


RECOMMENDATIONS. 

Having  thus  referred  to  existing  systems  and  institutions, 
their  merits  and  their  defects,  we  now  proceed,  in  the  further 
discharge  of  our  duties,  to  make  such  suggestions  and  recom- 
mendations for  their  improvement  as  seem  to  us  advisable. 

In  some  respects  no  State  is  better  situated  than  our  own 
for  making  improvements,  especially  in  the  important  matters 
of  dealing  with  pauperism  and  crime. 

Except  in  twro  or  three  counties  the  investments  for  poor- 
house  buildings  are  very  small,  and  the  farms  occupied  by  them 
are  worth  much  more  than  they  cost. 

We  have  but  one  State  Prison,  and  that  is  in  a condition  so 
that  it  will  require  early  and  extensive  repairs  and  improvements. 

We  can,  without  serious  loss  in  any  quarter,  adopt  such  sys- 
tems of  caring  for  the  poor,  and  of  conducting  prisons,  as  the 
experience  of  other  States  and  countries  may  suggest,  and  the 
Legislature  in  its  wisdom  may  deem  the  best,  and  such  as  are 


36 


REPORT  OK  PEKAL  AKD 


most  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  the  age  and  the  true 
principles  of  Christian  philanthropy. 

COUNTY  JAILS. 

Any  effective  reform  of  our  prison  institutions  must  involve 
a radical  change  in  the  existing  county  jail  system.  An  evil 
to  be  remedied,  as  pointed  out  in  a previous  part  of  this  report, 
is  the  want  of  means  to  separate  prisoners  awaiting  trial,  and 
persons  detained  as  witnesses,  from  those  convicted  and  under- 
going the  sentence  of  the  law. 

Mainly  on  this  account,  to  be  accused  of  crime  and  confined 
in  jail  awaiting  the  issue,  hardly  ever  fails  to  attach  a social 
stigma  to  the  individual,  which  even  an  honorable  acquittal 
does  not  entirely  remove.  He  is  liable  as  long  as  the  memory 
remains,  to  be  twitted  as  a “jail  bird.” 

The  demoralizing  influence  of  this  liability  is  only  to  be 
fathomed  by  the  degree  of  sensitiveness  of  the  individual  char- 
acter. Some  will  feel  its  injustice  more  than  others,  but  all  are 
hurt  by  it.  The  remedy  must  come  from  the  drawing  of  a 
line  of  demarkation  between  the  accused  and  convicted,  as 
well  defined  in  their  practical  t reament,  as  the  law  recognizes 
in  its  theory, — presumptive  innocence  until  guilt  be  proven. 
To  accomplish  this,  it  seems  to  us  indispensable  that  Houses 
of  Detention  should  be  established  for  safe  custody  of  the 
accused,  avoiding  entirely  the  use  of  the  term  “ jail,”  in  this 
connection. 

The  Executive  Committee  of  the  Prison  Association  of 
ISew  York,  in  their  annual  report  for  1869,  introduce  the  sub- 
ject of  the  county  jails  of  that  State,  in  the  following  language : 
“A  popular  preacher  in  Brooklyn  said  recently,  in  a sermon, 
4 Look  at  our  jails ! They  are  a disgrace  to  civilization.  Some 
are  fit  to  put  wild  beasts  in,  but  most  of  them  are  not.’ 
The  rhetoric  is  strong  here,  but  there  is  a terrible  basis  of 
truth  underlying  it.  There  may  be  half  a dozen  of  the  sixty- 
eight  jails  in  the  State  (though  we  could  scarcely  name  as 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


37 


many)  properly  constructed  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  the 
existing  system ; but  in  general  they  are  as  faulty  in  construc- 
tion and  arrangement  as  they  well  can  he,  — dark,  damp, 
cramped,  ill-ventilated,  and  gloomy  in  the  extreme/’  This 
description  might  also  have  been  written  for  the  jails  in 
Michigan.  It  is  impossible  to  believe  that  the  advancing  civil- 
ization of  the  age,  and  the  knowledge  to  be  derived  from  the 
attraction  of  public  attention  at  this  time  to  the  general  sub- 
ject of  prison  management,  will  permit  this  condition  to  be 
permanent.  Mistaken  and  ill-judged  economy  no  doubt  con- 
tributes largely  to  produce  the  miserable  state  of  so  many  of 
our  jails,  and  the  question  of  cost  will  be  one  of  the  obstacles 
to  reform.  Assuming,  however,  that  public  sentiment,  once 
awakened,  will  insist  upon  improvement,  the  necessity  for 
rebuilding  or  remodeling  a great  majority  of  the  county  jails 
becomes  at  once  apparent. 

Should  this  course  be  taken,  we  see  no  reason  why  much 
additional  cost  need  be  involved  in  remodeling  the  system  as 
well  as  the  buildmgs  ; and  in  all  other  respects,  it  would  prove 
a most  favorable  time  for  instituting  measures  for  moral 
reform. 

Regarding  our  county  jails,  under  the  present  mode,  as  hot- 
beds for  the  propagation  of  crime  and  criminals,  we  hold  the 
best  good  of  society,  nay,  that  its  very  safety  demands  the 
change  which  wre  suggest.  Our  viewTs  upon  this  subject  are  so 
well  expressed  by  the  Prison  Association  of  ISTew'  York,  that 
we  again  quote  from  their  twenty-fifth  annual  report : 

“ County  jails  should  be  made  simply  houses  of  detention. 
Their  punitive  character  should  be  abrogated,  and  a class  of 
prisons,  occupying  a middle  ground  between  the  State  Prison 
and  the  common  jail,  established  for  the  treatment  of  persons 
convicted  of  minor  offenses.  Detention  for  trial,  and  punish- 
ment on  conviction,  are  essentially  different  processes,  and  ‘the 
fitness  of  things’  requires  in  each  a special  method  in  har- 
mony with  its  nature,  and  adapted  to  the  end  in  view.  There 


38 


REPORT  OX  PEXAL  AXD 


is  between  the  convicted  and  the  accused  the  vast  difference 
which  separates  judicial  certainty  from  simple  suspicion. 
Hence,  the  association  of  these  two  classes  in  prison  is  not  only 
an  impropriety  and  a wrong,  but  a procedure  contrary  to 
morals,  to  justice,  to  the  public  security,  to  humanity,  which 
no  Christian  nation  should  permit,  and  which  the  criminal 
law  ought,  at  whatever  cost,  to  prohibit.  * * * * Sepa- 

rate imprisonment  should  be  enforced  in  all  common  jails. 
If  association  is  the  seminal  evil  of  our  jail  system,  the  remedy 
must  be  in  individual  imprisonment.  The  Prison  Association 
held  this  view  from  the  start,  and  has  maintained  it  through- 
out. The  reason  on  which,  this  view  rests  is  not  far  to  seek. 
Persons  under  the  arrest  of  justice,  charged  with  different 
offenses,  almost  always  differ  also  in  age,  character,  and  moral 
condition.  Suppose  ten,  twenty,  fifty  such  confined  in  the 
same  prison ; some  of  them  will  be  wholly  innocent,  others 
guilty  of  some  slight  misdemeanor,  and  others,  still,  utterly 
blasted  and  gangrened  by  a long  course  of  crime.  Is  it  not  a 
supreme  injustice  to  compel  a contact  of  the  former  with  the 
latter, — to  force  upon  the  upright  man,  unjustly  prosecuted, 
the  contiguity,  morally  and  physically  corrupting,  of  those 
gross  and  foul  natures  who  are  awaiting  their  legitimate 
punishment  ? ” 

A State  that  incarcerates  one  of  her  citizens  for  any  cause, 
Is  bound,  by  every  principle  of  rectitude,  to  use  all  possible 
precautions  against  his  being  restored  to  society  a worse  man 
than  when  he  was  arrested.  To  secure  this,  the  Houses  of 
Detention  must  be  well  constructed  and  well  governed,  and 
.should  have  provision  for  regular  employment  and  instruction. 

In  this  connection,  we  quote  from  the  report  of  a commit- 
tee on  prison  architecture,  to  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of 
New  York: 

“With  the  sole  exception  of  the  deprivation  of  liberty, 
nothing  in  these  places  of  detention  ought  to  take  on  the 
afflictive  austerity  of  the  prison.  No  doubt  every  citizen* 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


39 


when  the  public  weal  requires  it,  is  bound  to  pay  the  painful 
tribute  of  a forced  detention,  till  his  innocence  is  established ; 
but  justice  demands  a detention  which  separates  him  from  all 
impure  contact.  To  meet  this  demand  requires  that  we 
advance  one  step  further ; that  is,  that  we  keep  the  accused 
from  one  another  by  means  of  cellular  separation,  the  only 
proper  and  rational  mode  of  detention  for  this  class  of  pris- 
oners. To  refuse  to  the  accused  such  a shield  against  con- 
tamination is  at  once  a denial  of  the  right  and  an  abuse  of 
power.  It  is  to  impose  on  him  a punishment  which  may  have 
the  gravest  consequences,  both  for  himself  and  society,  and 
which,  therefore,  no  plea  can  either  justify  or  excuse.” 

These  Houses  of  Detention  should  be  subject  to  supervisory 
inspection  from  the  Central  Board,  should  one  be  established, 
as  hereinafter  suggested. 

INTERMEDIATE  PRISONS. 

The  adoption  of  our  recommendation  in  regard  to  county 
jails  being  used  only  as  houses  of  detention,  would  involve  the 
necessity  of  providing  some  other  means  of  custody  for  the 
class  of  prisoners  sentenced  to  confinement  in  the  common 
jails  under  the  present  system.  To  send  them  to  the  State 
Prison  is  not  to  be  thought  of,  for  reasons  so  obvious  as  not  to 
need  enumeration.  How,  then,  are  they  to  be  held,  and  how 
treated  ? We  answer,  by  the  institution  of  a class  of  inter- 
mediate, District  Prisons,  of  which  the  Detroit  House  of 
Correction,  already  spoken  of,  may  be  taken  as  a type,  to  occupy 
a middle  place  between  the  House  of  Detention  and  the  State 
Prison  proper.  These  District  Prisons  might  be  located  at 
convenient  points  in  the  State,  and  we  consider  should  be 
under  State  control.  They  should  be  reformatory  in  character 
in  the  most  practical  sense.  All  persons  convicted  of  minor 
offenses  should  be  sent  to  them  and  put  to  work.  Among  the 
advantages  of  such  prisons  may  be  suggested : the  opportunity 
their  management  should  afford  for  classifying  the  prisoners  ; 
that  industrial  labor  might  be  fully  organized  in  them,  and 


40 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


the  cost  of  crime  be  diminished  by  the  income  derived  from 
such  labor;  not  one  of  which  advantages  can  be  derived  under 
the  county  jail  system,  to  say  nothing  of  the  importance  of 
getting  rid  of  the  demoralizing  contamination  which  the  latter 
system  entails. 

Besides  these  improvements  separate  departments  for  impris- 
onment of  the  young  might  fitly  form  a feature  in  the  system, 
and  the  State  Prison  might  properly  be  relieved  by  the  con- 
finement in  these  institutions  of  convicts  now  sent  there  on 
short  sentences. 

REFORM. 

An  adequate  and  satisfactory  system  of  prison  discipline  has 
been  defined  to  include  the  reformation  of  the  criminal,  the 
punishment  of  crime,  and  the  protection  of  society.  H aving 
already  seen  the  extent  to  which  the  system  of  jurisprudence 
established  by  society  is  responsible  for  the  propagation  of 
crime,  we  may  well  question  the  right  of  society  very  rigidly 
to  visit  punishment  upon  the  individual  for  the  offense  it  has 
been  a main  instrument  in  creating,  or  at  least  in  causing  him 
to  commit.  Neither  ought  we  to  overlook,  in  this  connection, 
the  well  established  fact  of  hereditary  inheritance  of  a ten- 
dency to  vicious  habits,  leading  eventually  to  criminal  acts, 
which  partakes  of  the  nature  of  a disease,  that  deprives  the 
possessor  of  full  control  of  his  moral  faculties,  if  it  do  not 
even  divest  him  of  consciousness  of  their  existence,  and  which 
certainly  blunts  his  perceptions  of  the  difference  between  right 
and  wrong,  Then,  when  considering  the  protection  of  society 
as  involved  in  this  definition  of  prison  discipline,  it  needs  no 
argument  to  demonstrate  that  there  is  no  method  by  which 
society  can  do  so  much  to  protect  itself,  as  through  the 
reformation,  if  practicable,  of  the  criminal.  Hence  the  propo- 
sition for  reformation  might  not  improperly  be  regarded  as 
embracing  the  whole. 

Researches  into  criminal  statistics  reveal  the  fact  that  in 
the  State  Prisons  of  the  United  States  the  proportion  of  minors 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


41 


incarcerated,  taking  the  average  in  them  all,  is  over  twenty 
per  cent ; that  in  one  it  rises  to  nearly  fifty  per  cent ; and 
that  in  several  others  it  exeeeds  one-fourth  of  the  whole 
number;  that  the  tendency  in  every  department  of  vice  and 
crime  seems  to  be  of  late  years  youthward  ; that  thieves,  pick- 
pockets, burglars,  and  indeed  every  class  of  criminals,  average 
many  years  younger  now  than  they  did  a quarter  of  a century 
ago ; and  that  the  same  is  true  of  drunkards.  Such  being 
the  testimony  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Prison 
Association  of  New  York,  can  an  organized  and  well  devised 
attempt  at  reformatory  discipline,  such  as  our  present  system 
does  not  afford,  begin  too  soon  ? 

Although  laboring  under  the  difficulty  of  having  to  deal  in 
the  main  with  very  short  sentenced  conviets,  the  Detroit 
House  of  Correction  presents,  in  its  management  and  influ- 
ence, the  best  example  of  a reformatory,  or  intermediate  prison, 
with  which  we  are  acquainted  in  this  country.  Its  accom- 
plished superintendent,  Z.  R.  Brockway,  Esq.,  in  an  able  paper 
contributed  to  the  twenty-fourth  annual  report  of  the  Prison 
Association  of  New  York,  says:  “The  design  of  these  insti- 
tutions is  two-fold,  viz:  preventive  and  reformatory, — to 
restrain  and  prevent  the  manifestation  of  the  vicious  inclin- 
ations of  the  class  described,  and  to  improve  the  character  of 
the  individuals  who  commit  offenses  and  are  imprisoned  there- 
for. The  true  interests  of  society  are  best  promoted  by  those 
measures  that  prevent  the  perpetration  of  offenses  and  the 
growth  of  bad  character  in  its  members;  for  every  infraction 
of  law  not  only  mars  the  character  of  the  offender,  and  brings 
into  activity  a bad  element,  but  is  a shock  to  the  fabric  of 
society,  weakening  the  whole  structure  in  proportion  to  the 
trivial  or  heinous  character  of  the  offense.  The  Christian 
institutions,  benevolent  and  charitable  societies,  and  educa- 
tional establishments,  are  all,  in  the  nature  of  their  organiza- 
tion, admirably  adapted  to  this  work  ; but  as  their  influence 
does  not  perfectly  accomplish  this  end,  some  other  provision 


0 


KEPOItT  ON  PENAL  AND 


42 

is  necessary  for  the  treatment  of  those  who  bn  ak  through 
these  restraints,  and  actually  enter  upon  a vicious  course,  lead- 
ing, as  vicious  practices  always  do,  towards  the  commission  of 
the  higher  crimes.  * * * * The  reformatory  designs  of 
these  establishments  must  not  and  need  not  be  lost  sight  of 
in  our  zeal  for  their  preventive  influence,  for  the  highest' wel- 
fare of  the  inmates  is  perfectly  consonant  with  the  bestw'elfare 
of  society  at  large.  I do  not  hesitate  to  say,  that  in  the  reforma- 
tion of  prisoners,  and  in  wise  efforts  to  that  end,  will  be 
found  a key  to  the  true  prison  system,  and  the  soundest 
criminal  code.  * * * * * * 

“ The  design  of  these  municipal  or  intermediate  establish- 
ments, then,  may  be  stated  to  be  the  treatment  of  persons  who 
commit  offenses  against  society,  known  as  misdemeanors,  with 
the  view  to  exert  a preventive  and  reformatory  power,  the 
preventive  force  beiug  most  surely  had,  and  in  largest  meas- 
ure, by  locating,  constructing,  organizing,  and  administering 
them  for  the  main  purpose  of  reformation.  * * * 

“ They  must  be  legislated  into  existence  as  a part  of  society, 
in  harmony  with  every  means  she  adopts  for  her  preservation 
and  the  highest  development  and  welfare  of  her  members. 
Just  as  hospitals  and  asylums  are  instituted  to  heal  physi- 
cal and  mental  disease,  so  these  prisons  should  be  established 
to  cure  moral  deformity.  They  are  needed  as  adjuncts  to  the 
various  refining  and  purifying  agencies,  to  make  further  effort 
in  the  same  direction  for  those  who  arc  not  held  by  them  to 
symmetrical,  moral  development,  and  who  become  an  offense 
to  society  in  spite  of  them.'’ 

The  unavoidable  length  of  this  report  must  prevent  us  from 
entering  into  much  detail  on  what  may  be  considered  the  best 
system  of  reformatory  prison  discipline,  on  W'hich  much  differ- 
ence of  opinion  exists  among  those  who  have  made  it  their 
study.  We  must  content  ourselves  with  a glance  at  the  lead- 
ing: features  of  those  which  seem  to  have  met  with  the  best 
success,  [f  the  fundamental  principles  meet  the  approval  of 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


43 

the  legislative  body,  the  details  would  be  a lit  subject  for  future 
consideration. 

SHORT  SENTENCES. 

At  tlio  outset  one  of  the  greatest  obstacles  to  reform,  com- 
plained of  by  prison  officers  and  others,  is  the  prevalence  of 
short  sentences.  Earl  Stanley,  some  years  since,  said  in  an 
address  on  reformatory  institutions:  “It  is  proved  by  a con- 
currence of  testimony  that  short  imprisonments  are  not 
reformatory  in  their  effect;  that  usually  they  send  back  the 
offender  more  hardened  than  he  went  in.  The  difficulty  is 
not  to  find  witnesses  on  this  point,  but  to  choose  them.  I 
believe  there  is  not  a governor  of  a gaol,  not  a chaplain,  not 
a chairman  of  the  quarter  session,  who  is  not  here  of  one 
mind.” 

Dr.  Staats,  physician  of  the  Albany,  If.  Y.,  Penitentiary, 
one  of  the  model  prisons  of  the  United  States,  says  in  his 
report  for  1868  : “The  ten-day  cases — convictions  for  public 
intoxication — have  been  numerous,  and  have  required  much 
of  our  care  and  attention ; all  of  little  avail,  however,  for,  to 
judge  from  the  frequency  with  which  these  persons  return  to 
the  penitentiary,  their  brief  season  of  abstinence,  instead  of 
quenching  the  appetite  for  strong  drink,  only  enhances  its 
intensity.  It  is  mortifying  to  notice,  year  after  year,  the 
extent  to  which  our  hospital  is  made  an  infirmary  for  habitual 
drunkards.”  A.nd  the  Board  of  Inspectors  of  the  same  insti- 
tution, speaking  of  the  income  of  the  penitentiary,  observe : 
“ The  relative  falling  off  in  this  particular  will  prove  very  con- 
siderable, if  we  are  obliged  to  devote  a large  share  of  the  earn- 
ings of  our  efficient  hands  to  the  support  of  a battalion  of  ten 
to  sixty-day  men  and  habitual  drunkards,  wdio  ivaste  the  sub- 
stance of  the  institution  without  any  return,  or  even  benefit 
to  themselves.” 

The  Rev.  David  Dyer,  in  an  essay  entitled  “ Impressions  of 
Prison  Life  in  Great  Britain,”  remarks:  “I  was  led  more 
deeply  than  ever  to  feel  the  inutility,  as  a general  rule,  of  short 


44 


REPORT  0>s  PENAL  AND 


sentences.  In  the  first  visits  I made,  I was  surprised  to  find 
so  many  persons  confined  for  periods  extending  from  two  to 
seven  days,  during  which  time  they  were  generally  subject  to 
low  diet  and  hard  labor.  On  inquiring  the  reason  for  such 
sentences  and  treatment,  I was  repeatedly  told  that  the  preva- 
lent practice  in  Great  Britain  is  to  subject  those  who  have 
been  found  guilty  of  petty  offenses,  to  a short,  sharp,  deterrent 
course  of  punishment,  that  they  might  be  kept  from  the  fur- 
ther commission  of  crime.  I asked  if  this  was  the  practical 
result  of  this  course,  and  I was  assured  that  it  was  not,  for 
that  the  number  of  recommittals,  which  were  chiefly  from  this 
class  of  convicts,  was  very  large,  not  less  than  thirty-nine  per 
cent,  and  these  have  increased  ten  per  cent  within  the  last  ten 
years.  I repeatedly  inquired  of  different  prison  governors, 
whether  they  thought  such  sentences  generally  useful,  and  the 
answer  I received  invariably  was  an  emphatic  No.  Some 
added,  They  are  baneful  in  their  effect,  and  pointed  to  the  large 
number  of  recommittals  as  jjroof.  On  asking  what  they  would 
do  with  persons  who  had  been  repeatedly  convicted  and  sen- 
tenced for  short  periods,  they  replied:  ‘Make  every  additional 
offense  a heightened  aggravation,  and  impose  a proportionate 
punishment/” 

The  Howard  Association,  a society  formed  in  London  for 
the  improvement  of  prison  discipline,  say:  **  These  repeated 
short  sentences  are  very  mischievous.  For  further  committals 
there  should  be  sentences  of  sufficient  duration  to  form  habits 
of  labor,  in  collective,  industrial  occupations,  and  to  impart  an 
ability  to  earn  an  honest  living.” 

General  Pillsbury,  Superintendent  of  the  Albany,  N.  Y., 
Penitentiary,  whose  reputation  as  an  experienced  and  most 
successful  prison  official  is  cosmopolitan,  in  his  annual  report 
for  1869,  to  the  Inspectors,  says  on  this  subject : “ Of  the  1,029  ! 
prisoners  received  during  the  year,  864  (or  more  than  four-  ; 
fifths)  admitted  themselves  to  have  been  intemperate,  and  795 
(or  more  than  three-fourths)  were  committed  for  terms  of  less  ! 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


45 


than  six  months.  A great  many  of  these  were  persons  con- 
victed of  public  intoxication  and  sent  here  for  ten,  twenty, 
or  thirty  days,  in  default  of  payment  of  some  small  fine.  It  is 
for  the  lawgivers  to  determine  whether  imprisonment  in  the 
penitentiary  is  the  best  punishment  for  public  intoxication  in 
any  case,  but  if  it  is  designed  to  have  any  effect  in  curing  the 
vice  of  drunkenness,  a term  of  not  less  than  six  months  should 
be  imposed  in  all  cases  of  second  or  further  conviction.  Under 
the  existing  law,  it  is  not  unfrequent  for  the  same  individuals 
to  be  convicted  ten,  twenty,  or  thirty  times  of  public  intoxica- 
tion, and  on  each  occasion  committed  for  a few  days.  The 
records  of  this  institution  are  full  of  such  instances.  On  our 
books  for  the  past  year,  I notice  one  case  where  a prisoner  con- 
victed of  public  intoxication  for  the  thirty-third  time,  was  sen- 
tenced to  be  commilted  here  twenty  days,  or  to  pay  a fine  of 
five  dollars;  and  in  default  of  this  paltry  fine,  the  trifling  term 
of  twenty  days’  imprisonment  was  the  penalty  enforced.  Such 
prisoners  are  a constantly  recurring  burden  upon  the  institu- 
tion, and  consequently  upon  the  county,  for  they  are  unfit  to 
labor  during  flic  short  time  they  are  confined  after  their 
debauch,  and  they  go  forth  unreformed  and  unimproved,  only 
to  repeat  the  same  offense  of  public  intoxication,  and  to  be 
sent  back  to  prison  for  another  equally  brief  and  useless  period. 
If  they  were  sent  to  the  penitentiary  for  a term  of  not  less 
than  six  months,  there  might  be  some  hope  of  weaning  them 
from  their  vicious  and  destructive  habit,  and  restoring  them 
to  such  a bodily  condition  as  would  fit  them  for  useful  labor.” 

We  might  multiply  such  testimony,  but  enough  has  been 
quoted  to  show  that  short  sentences  are  opposed  to  reforma- 
tion, and  financially  a burden  to  the  institutions. 

INDETERMINATE  SENTENCES. 

It  ma}^  be  asked  if  it  can  be  consistent  with  justice  to  inflict 
long  terms  of  imprisonment  for  minor  offenses.  The  answer 
involves  a feature  of  criminal  jurisprudence  new  in  this  State, 
but  the  principle  of  which  has  been  tried  with  marked«success 


4 a 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


elsewhere;  that  is,  to  sentence  the  convicted  offender  for  a 
term  to  be  determined  by  the  evidence  of  reformation,  and 
detain  him  in  custody  until  he  shall,  by  reliable  tests,  demon- 
strate that  he  has  the  will  and  the  power  to  abandon  his  crim- 
inal propensities.  The  doctrine  that  the  offender  should  be 
detained  until  by  his  own  efforts  and  conduct  he  shall  have 
earned  the  right  to  be  free,  originated  with  that  profound 
thinker,  Archbishop  Whately.  Since  its  first  suggestion,  it  has 
been  growing  in  favor,  and  has  been  adopted  as  the  true  prin- 
ciple, by  many  of  the  most  active,  progressive,  best-informed, 
and  thoroughly  practical  philanthropists  among  those  who 
have  devoted  their  attention  to  prison  administration,  as  well 
by  prison  officers  as  by  those  who  in  other  capacities  are  giving 
their  time  to  the  benevolent  object  of  ameliorating  prison 
discipline  and  reforming  the  criminal  classes.  This  method 
is  strongly  advocated  by  Rev.  Dr.  Wines,  corresponding  secre- 
tary of  the  New  York  Prison  Association,  who  defines  it  thus : 
“ It  is  based  on  the  idea  that  the  criminal  is  a dangerous  man, 
or,  if  you  please,  a morally  insane  man,  whom  it  is  not  safe  to 
suffer  to  go  at  large ; and  therefore  he  must  be  restrained  of 
his  liberty,  till,  like  other  madmen,  his  cure  has  been  effected, 
and  he  may  be  set  free  without  new  peril  to  the  community. 
Or  to  state  the  same  principle  in  other  words,  men  who  have 
committed  crime  have  thereby  forfeited  their  privileges  in 
society,  and  before  they  can  regain  them,  they  must  give  satis- 
factory proof  that  they  again  deserve  and  are  not  likely  to 
abuse  them.  Can  anything  be  more  conformable  to  abstract 
reason  and  natural  justice  than  such  a principle?  It  would 
not,  as  might  be  supposed  on  a superficial  view,  proscribe  pun- 
ishment as  such,  which  will  always  be  necessary  both  to  teach 
the  lesson  that  ‘ the  way  of  the  transgressor  is  hard  * and  to 
induce  penitence  and  submission  ; still  less  would  it  leave  out 
of  view  the  object  of  setting  a deterring  example.  What  it 
would  do  would  be  to  raise  the  character  of  both  these  elements 
in  criminal  treatment,  placing  the  first  in  the  light  of  a benev- 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS.  47 

olent  means  by  making  it  an  agency  of  reformation, — whereas 
at  present  it  is  too  often  regarded  as  a vindictive  end , — and 
securing  the  second  by  showing  the  law  constantly  and  neces- 
sarily victorious  over  individual  obstinacy , instead  of  being,  as 
now,  frequently  defeated  by  it.  No  doubt  much  of  the  hard- 
ness of  old  offenders  arises  at  present  from  the  gratification  of 
pride  in  braving  the  worst  that  the  law  can  inflict,  and  main- 
taining an  ungovernable  will  amid  all  its  severities.  But  for 
this  pride  there  would  be  no  place  in  a system  in  which  more 
endurance  could  serve  no  useful  end,  and  only  submission , 
obedience , and  reformation  could  restore  to  freedom.  Under 
such  a system  the  voice  of  the  law  to  a convicted  felon  would 
be:  f You  have  broken  one  of  the  first  laws  of  society;  you 
have  shown  yourself  unfit  to  go  at  large ; you  must  be  separ- 
ated for  a season  from  your  fellows ; you  friust  suffer  the 
penalty  which  the  law  has  righteously  annexed  to  transgres- 
sion ; you  must  be  shut  up  in  prison  and  remain  there  until 
you  give  evidence  that  you  are  a changed  man,  and  can  be 
safely  permitted  to  enjoy  your  freedom.  In  thus  dealing  with 
you,  society  has  no  resentments  to  gratify,  no  vengeance  to 
inflict.  It  is  for  your  good,  as  well  as  for  her  safety,  that  she 
so  afflicts  you ; you  must  be  punished  for  what  you  have  done ; 
but  while  you  are  in  prison  we  will  give  you  every  chance  to 
recover  yourself.  Nay,  more,  we  will  help  you  in  that  work. 
If  you  are  ignorant,  we  will  give  you  an  opportunity  of  learn- 
ing in  the  prison  school  what  you  ought  to  have  learned  in  the 
common  school.  If  you  never  learned  a trade,  we  will  put  you 
in  possession  of  one.  If  religious  truth  was  withheld  from 
you  in  childhood,  you  shall  be  made  acquainted  with  it  in 
your  adult  age.  We  will,  through  these  various  agencies, 
impart  to  you  the  power,  and  we  would  fain  hope  the  disposi- 
tion, to  earn  and  eat  honest  bread.  But  you  must  work  with 
us ; your  will  must  be  in  accord  with  ours ; your  efforts  must 
tend  in  the  same  direction  ; there  must  be,  on  your  part,  a real 
and  hearty  co-operation  with  us.  On  this  condition  alone  can 


48 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


you  attain  that  radical  reformation  of  character  to  which  we 
wish  to  bring  you,  and  the  attainment  of  which  is  indispensa- 
ble to  your  liberation.  Until  you  show  to  our  satisfaction 
that  you  can  be  restored  to  freedom  with  safety  to  the  com- 
munity, your  imprisonment  must  continue;  and  if  you  never 
giye  us  such  satisfaction,  then  you  never  can  be  discharged, 
your  imprisonment  will  be  for  life.  We  do  not  set  the  mad- 
man free  till  he  is  cured  of  his  madness ; neither  can  we  safe- 
ly, or  even  justly,  set  the  criminal  free  till  he  is  cured  of  his 
propensity  to  crime.  As  the  security  of  society  and  the  good 
of  the  lunatic  require  that  his  confinement  should  be  regulated 
upon  this  principle,  so  equally  do  the  security  of  society  and 
the  good  of  the  criminal  demand  that  his  incarceration  should 
be  adjusted  upon  the  same  principle.  We  put  your  fate  into 
your  own  hands,  and  it  is  for  you  to  determine  the  period, 
within  certain  necessary  limits,  during  which  the  restraint 
upon  your  liberty  shall  continue.  You  may  either  prolong  it 
to  the  close  of  yonr  life,  or  restrict  it  to  a duration  which  you 
yourself  will  allow  to  be  but  reasonable  and  just.’” 

Mr.  Brockway,  of  the  Detroit  House  of  Correction,  has 
strongly  enforced  similar  views  on  various  occasions.  In  his 
annual  report  for  1868,  he  says,  in  speaking  of  prostitutes, 
vagrants,  confirmed  pilferers,  and  those  whose  appetites  or  pas- 
sions are  beyond  their  control,  who  by  indulgence  become 
dangerous  members  of  society  and  are  convicted  of  misde- 
meanors : “ Experience  has  demonstrated,  that  to  sentence  such 
persons  to  imprisonment  for  definite  periods  of  time  frequently 
subverts  the  purpose  in  view,  and  is  almost  always  a hindrance ; 
for  the  effect  of  too  long  sentences  is  depressing,  and  if  too 
brief,  diverting,  so  that  in  either  case  that  mental  process 
essential  to  reformation  is  prevented  or  destroyed.  Human 
wisdom  is  insufficient  to  adjust  the  sentence  at  the  time  of 
imposing  it,  as  now  done,  so  as  to  avoid  this  consequence,  and 
I am  satisfied  that  it  can  only  be  accomplished  by  the  aid  of 
that  observation  of  the  character  and  conduct  to  be  had  sub- 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTION'S. 


49 


sequent  to  the  commitment  of  the  prisoner.  There  cannot 
certainly  be  an  increase  of  liability  to  erroneous  and  unjust 
sentences,  by  leaving  the  duration  of  imprisonment  to  he  de- 
termined by  competent  authority  after  suitable  opportunity  for 
observing  the  prisoner,  but  on  the  contrary  it  must  be  lessened 
by  such  a course.” 

In  his  essay  on  “ Intermediate  Prisons,”  before  referred  to, 
the  same  gentleman  says,  “ Every  consideration  that  warrants 
the  commitment  of  men  to  hospital  or  asylum  until,  in  the 
opinion  of  competent  persons,  they  are  sufficiently  healed  to 
return  to  society  without  injury,  is  an  argument  for  holding  in 
custody  persons  of  such  moral  character  as  to  render  them 
inimical  to  the  general  welfare,  until  they  are  changed,  and  can 
mingle  with  their  fellows  without  contaminating  them.  And 
when  such  persons  reach  this  point  they  should  not  be  held 
in  confinement  because  of  arbitrary  sentence.  This  standard 
of  legislation  possibly  cannot  be  reached  at  once,  but  effort  in 
this  direction  should  be  made  in  the  organization  of  every  new 
establishment.” 

As  the  result  of  much  discussion  on  this  topic  in  Great 
Britain,  the  London  Times  remarked:  “ We  believe  it  will  be 
found  the  cheapest  and  most  politic  course,  as  well  as  the  most 
humane,  to  leave  no  stone  unturned  to  bring  about  the 
reformation  of  criminals,  and  not  to  discharge  them  upon 
society  until  they  are  reformed.  In  desperate  cases  we  must 
even  acquiesce  in  the  conclusion  of  imprisonment  for  life.” 
And  the  London  Spectator  adds  on  this  subject,  that  the 
detention  of  criminals  until  their  reformation  would  be 
justified  upon  the  same  grounds  that  justify  the  detention  of 
the  insane.  As  long  as  they  are  criminally  disposed  they  are 
morally  insane,  and  should  be  in  safe  custody.  As  soon  as 
they  have  ceased  to  be  criminally  disposed,  and  become  dis- 
posed, like  ordinary  people,  to  earn  their  livelihood  in  an 
honest  way,  they  are  cured  of  their  insanity,  and  may  safely 
go  at  large.” 


50 


REPORT  0 N PENAL  AND 


Nowhere,  perhaps,  are  the  arguments  in  favor  of  this  prin- 
ciple more  forcibly  presented  than  in  a paper  addressed  to  Rev. 
Dr.  Wines,  and  read  at  the  National  Congress  on  Penitentiary 
and  Reformatory  Discipline,  held  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in 
October  of  the  present  year.  The  writer  is  Matthew  Daven- 
port Hill,  recognized  as  one  of  the  ablest  criminal  jurists  of 
Great  Britain,  who  brings  to  the  consideration  of  the  subject 
the  knowledge  gained  from  an  experience  of  about  forty  years 
as  Judge  of  the  Recorder’s  Court  of  the  city  of  Birmingham, 
in  England. 

He  maintains,  substantially,  that  all  punishment  is  a means 
to  an  end,  not  the  end  itself, — the  end  being  the  diminution  of 
crime;  yet  he  would  not  contemn  any  other  good  which  may 
be  incident  to  the  means  adopted  to  secure  that  result  As  a 
general  principle,  the  diminution  of  crime,  so  far  as  it  is  to  be 
effected  by  punishment,  must  be  sought  for  in  the  reformation 
of  the  criminal,  and  for  that  purpose  it  is  a necessary  and  a 
legitimate  exercise  of  human  authority  to  detain  him  until 
this  effect  shall  have  been  produced. 

A criminal  is  a man  who  has  suffered  under  a disease, 
exhibiting  itself  in  the  perpetration  of  crime,  and  who  may 
reasonably  be  held  to  be  under  the  dominion  of  such  disease, 
until  his  conduct  afford  very  strong  presumption  not  only  that 
he  is  free  from  its  immediate  influence,  but  that  the  chances 
of  its  recurrence  have  become  exceedingly  remote.  It  will  be 
at  once  admitted  that  if  we  could,  with  certainty,  so  train  a 
criminal  during  his  imprisonment  as  to  relieve  him  forever 
from  all  disposition  to  relapse  into  crime,  any  length  of  incar- 
ceration would  be  well  spent,  both  as  regards  the  interests  of 
society,  and  especially  as  regards  the  interest  of  the  criminal. 

If  the  offender  must  be  sent  to  prison,  what  is  to  measure 
the  duration  of  the  punishment?  Time  sentences  are  so 
familiar  to  our  minds,  and  enforced  by  such  long  ages  of 
prescription,  that  an  inquiry  into  their  reasonableness  demands 
efforts  which  few  can  be  induced  to  make.  In  apportioning  a 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


51 


time  sentence  to  a given  offense  we  assume  that  some  assign- 
able proportion  exists  between  offenses  and  inflictions, — that  a 
pounds  weight  of  crime  should  be  visited  with  a pound's 
weight  of  punishment, — but  the  vague  proportion  we  are  able 
to  establish  in  our  minds  carries  us  a very  little  way  towards 
the  exactitude  required  for  practical  purposes.  This  failure  is 
manifested  by  daily  experience.  Whenever  a case  is  tried  by  a 
plurality  of  judges,  it  is  well  known  that  it  is  only  by  com- 
promise they  agree  upon  a sentence  wherever  the  Legislature 
has  left  them  discretionary  power.  If  this  be  true  of  judges, 
who,  sitting  together  month  after  month,  are  worn  with  an 
approach  to  mental  uniformity,  the  difference  of  apportion- 
ment between  one  court  and  another  must  be  so  great  as  to 
preclude  all  hopes  that  crimes  meet,  as  a rule,  with  their 
desert,  neither  more  nor  less.  In  our  attempt  to  award  pain 
according  to  desert,  we  are  fated  to  err,  either  on  the  side  of 
mercy  or  severity.  When  the  jury  has  convicted  the  prisoner, 
it  remains  to  be  considered  whether  the  offense  is  mitigated  or 
aggravated  by  its  incidents  ; whether  the  prisoner  is  young  or 
of  mature  age ; whether  he  has  had  the  advantages  of  educa- 
tion, or  been  under  the  influence  of  ignorance  and  evil  associ- 
ations; whether  or  not  he  has  been  previously  convicted; 
whether  his  deviation  from  rectitude  seems  an  exception  or 
indicates  the  rule  of  his  life.  All  these  and  many  other  points 
for  consideration  will  rise  up  in  the  mind  of  a thoughtful 
judge,  but  they  will  assuredly  not  be  dealt  with  by  any  two 
minds  so  as  to  result  in  the  same  infliction.  And  if  we  take 
into  account  the  modifications  of  opinion  which  society  under- 
goes from  time  to  time,  and  observe  its  effect  on  the  sentences 
pronounced  at  various  periods  for  offenses  of  similar  magni- 
tude, we  shall  all  come  to  the  conclusion,  that  standards  of 
punishment  are  much  more  easy  to  imagine  than  to  realize. 
Having  watched  the  operation  of  non-reformatory  punishments 
for  more  than  half  a century,  Mr.  Hill  offers  himself  as  a 
witness  to  the  illusory  nature  of  all  expectation  that  they  can 


52 


REPORT  OK  PEKAL  AKD 


be  made  effectual  as  deterrents  from  repetition  of  crime.  If, 
then  (he  says),  it  be  impossible  to  duly  adjust  penalties,  and  if 
simply  deterrent  punishments  are  inefficacious,  in  what  prin- 
ciple can  we  find  refuge  except  that  of  reformation  or  cure  ? 
But  as  a cure  cannot  be  predicted  in  any  case  with  absolute 
certainty,  the  time  required  for  its  accomplishment  cannot  be 
measured  in  advance,  and  there  is  no  rational  alternative  but 
that  of  sentences  undefined  in  extent. 

The  next,  and  perhaps  the  most  important  to  be  considered, 
is,  how  shall  it  be  ascertained  when  the  moral  cure  is  accom- 
plished? Premising  that  a strong  presumption  in  favor  of 
reformation  is  all  the  certainty  that  the  nature  of  the  case  will 
admit  of,  and  bearing  in  mind  that  upon  careful  analysis  all 
moral  certainty  resolves  itself  into  a high  degree  of  probability, 
— such  a probability  as  justifies  us  in  acting  upon  it, — we  find 
the  problem  practically  solved  for  us,  not  only  in  the  Old 
World,  but  in  the  New. 

IRISH  PRISOK  SYSTEM. 

The  former  we  find  in  what  is  known  as  “ The  Irish  Prison 
System,”  devised  and  inaugurated  at  Dublin  in  1854,  by  Sir 
Walter  Crofton;  the  latter  in  the  government  of  the  New 
York  House  of  Refuge  on  Randall’s  Island. 

Under  the  Irish  system,  the  convict  is  brought  to  under- 
stand that  his  fate  is  measurably  in  his  own  hands ; and  the 
opportunity  is  afforded  him,  during  his  imprisonment,  through 
industry,  learning,  and  good  conduct,  to  raise  himself,  step  by 
step,  to  positions  of  greater  freedom  and  comfort,  while  idle- 
ness and  bad  conduct  produce  the  contrary  result.  There  are 
four  distinct  stages  in  this  system. 

The  first  stage  is  one  of  solitary  confinement  under  circum- 
stances of  great  privation,  designed,  apparently,  to  show  the 
'power  of  the  government  to  compel  the  most  refractory  to  obe- 
dience, as  well  as  to  demonstrate  in  the  future  by  its  contrast 
with  the  indulgences  of  the  more  advanced  stages,  the  advan- 


ItEFO  RMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


53 


tages  to  be  gained  by  good  conduct,  and  what  the  prisoner  may 
be  liable  to  fall  back  to,  by  remand,  for  ill  conduct.  Under  its 
discipline  the  most  obdurate  and  defiant  wills  are  found  to 
yield.  The  duration  of  this  strict  imprisonment  is  usually 
eight  months,  but  may  be  reduced  by  uniform  good  conduct. 
At  the  end  of  the  first  four  months,  however,  the  privations 
are  considerably  modified.  At  first  the  seclusion  is  absolute ; 
then  the  cell  door  is  thrown  open  a part  of  the  day3  and  after- 
wards during  the  whole  day.  This  is  felt  to  be  a great  privil- 
ege after  four  months  of  total  seclusion,  and  is  withdrawn  for 
any  misconduct.  Meantime,  the  system  is  minutely  explained 
to  the  prisoner,  and  the  explanations  are  repeated  till  he  fully 
understands  them  and  is  impressed  with  the  conviction  that 
his  condition  during  his  imprisonment  will  depend  mainly  on 
his  own  conduct,  while  his  treatment  by  the  officers  satisfies 
him  that  they  are  really  concerned  for  his  welfare.  The  usual 
effect  of  this  first  stage  of  imprisonment  is  to  plant  in  the  con- 
vict’s mind  the  feeling  that  there  must  be  an  active  co-operation 
on  his  part  with  his  keepers  in  the  effort  to  effect  his  improve- 
ment, moral,  mental,  and  industrial.  Its  operation  is  to  cause 
the  antagonism  he  first  felt  towards  the  authorities  to  gradually 
melt  away,  and  replace  it  with  the  feeling  that  kindness  and 
sympathy  have  met  him  where  he  looked  only  for  harshness 
and  oppression. 

The  second  stage  embraces  four  classes  of  different  grades. 
Its  operation  is  that  of  progressive  classification,  in  which  the 
convict  advances  from  one  grade  to  another  by  merit  marks ; 
these  marks  being  given  severally  for  general  good  conduct,  for 
diligence  at  work,  and  for  the  desire  shown  for  improvement  in 
education, — not  for  actual  progress  made. 

The  design  of  the  marks  given  is  in  a great  measure  to 
realize  to  the  mind  of  the  convict  “ that  his  progress  to  liberty, 
within  the  period  of  his  sentence,  can  be  furthered  only  by  the 
cultivation  and  application  of  qualities  opposed  to  those  which 
led  to  his  conviction.”  Mainfold  inducements  to  good  conduct 


54 


KEPOBT  OlH  PEKAL  AXD 


and  obedience  are  held  out  to  the  convicts  in  this  stage, 
besides  the  progress  toward  liberation  within  their  several 
terms  of  sentence.  Such  distinctions  between  the  several 
classes  are  made,  and  such  rewards  and  privileges  are  granted 
to  each,  as,  without  impairing  the  discipline,  are  fitted  to  invite 
and  encourage  them  in  a course  of  vigorous  self-restraint  and 
self-culture,  the  great  effort  of  the  authorities  being  to  induce 
the  prisoner  to  become  the  principal  agent  in  his  own  reform- 
ation. 

The  third  stage  of  this  system  is  termed  the  “ intermediate 
prison,”  and  is  so  called  because  it  holds  a middle  ground 
between  an  imprisoment  strictly  penal  and  a condition  of 
full  liberty-.  The  imprisonment  here  is  almost  wholly  moral. 
Walls,  bars,  and  bolts  are  discarded,  and  very  little  supervision 
is  employed.  In  the  Irish  system,  two  principles  are  never 
lost  sight  of,  viz.,  first , the  necessity  of  placing  the  felon  at 
the  outset  under  rigid  restraint,  and  making  him  feel  “ that 
the  way  of  the  transgressor  is  hard  second , the  reformation 
of  the  offender  being  the  ultimate  object  in  view,  that  this 
restraint  must  be  gradually  relaxed,  and  the  lesson  of  active 
exertion  and  self-control  be  imparted  in  place  of  that  of  mere 
passive  submission  to  authority.  This  third  stage  is  but 
slightly  penal,  and  those  passing  through  it  have  almost  as 
much  freedom  as  laboring  people  in  civil  life.  While  engaged 
in  the  labors  of  the  day  they  converse  together  as  freely  as 
laboring  men  do,  no  restriction  being  placed  upon  them  in  this 
respect,  except  those  self-imposed  restraints  which  result  from 
an  honest  and  diligent  attention  to  work. 

Instruction,  religious  and  secular,  is  still  faithfully  imparted. 
The  almost  unfailing  effect  of  this  course  of  training  is  a 
waking  up  of  the  dormant  powers  of  intellect,  and  a develop- 
ment of  all  the  elements  of  manhood. 

The  fourth  stage  of  the  Irish  convict  system  is  a period  of 
further  and  final  test  of  the  reformation  of  the  convict,  lie 
is  discharged  from  the  intermediate  prison  under  a conditional 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


55 


pardon,  certified  by  what  is  called  a ticket-of-leave,  or  ticket 
of  license. 

The  convict  who  violates  any  of  the  conditions  of  his  license 
and  thereby  forfeits  the  same,  is  sure  to  be  returned  to  close 
confinement,  but  he  is  eligible  to  promotion  again  by  good 
conduct.  No  convict,  however,  who  has  passed  through  all 
the  successive  stages  of  this  system,  and  after  a full  discharge, 
commits  fresh  crime,  and  is  again  sentenced  to  prison,  is  per- 
mitted to  go  through  the  same  course  of  training  and  trial  a 
second  time.  Police  supervision  of  convicts  released  on  license 
is  real  and  effective  in  Ireland.  The  conditions  of  the  license 
are  stringently  enforced,  a course  which  has  proved  as  beneficial 
to  the  convict  as  it  has  to  the  public. 

The  foregoing  sketch  of  the  nature  of  the  Irish  Prison 
System  is  condensed  from  a detailed  account  of  the  same 
contributed  to  “ Hours  at  Home,”  by  the  Corresponding 
Secretary  of  the  New  York  Prison  Association. 

It  is  proper,  lest  misconception  should  arise  from  the  use  of 
similar  terms  for  dissimilar  things,  that  we  should  point  out 
the  distinction  between  prisons  bearing  the  common  term 
“intermediate.”  The  prison  called  “ intermediate”  in  the 
Irish  system  is  one  occupying  a place  between  strict  penal 
confinement  and  full  liberty;  the  “intermediate  prison” 
recommended  in  this  report,  and  the  institution  to  which  the 
term  is  generally  applied  in  this  country,  is  one  occupying  a 
place  between  the  House  of  Detention,  or  the  County  Jail, 
and  the  State  Prison. 

NEW  YORK  HOUSE  OF  REFUGE. 

The  solution  on  this  continent  of  the  problem  for  ascer- 
taining the  cure  of  the  criminal  disease,  is  to  be  found  in  the 
system  of  management  of  the  House  of  Refuge,  under  the  very 
able  superintendency  of  Mr.  Israel  C.  Jones,  on  Randall’s 
Island,  New  York.  It  is  true  this  institution  was  created  and 
is  maintained  for  the  care  and  reform  of  juvenile  delinquents, 


56 


REPORT  OX  PEXAL  A XI) 


but  its  system  does  not  on  that  account  appear  to  us  to  be  less 
applicable  for  adult  reformatories. 

As  in  the  Irish  prisons,  which  we  have  just  been  consider- 
ing, the  leading  feature  of  the  New  York  House  of  Refuge  is 
the  mark  system. 

In  the  second  annual  report  of  the  Board  of  State  Commis- 
sioners of  Public  Charities,  made  in  1869,  the  Commissioners 
give  the  following  synopsis  of  the  plan  on  which  this  admirable 
institution  is  conducted  : 

“ This  institution  is  organized  on  the  congregate  plan, 
and  not  on  the  family  or  separate  system.  Its  leading  feature 
consists  in  its  system  of  grades,  of  which  there  are  four.  The 
rank  of  the  child  in  these  depends  upon  good  conduct,  which 
is  established  by  daily  marks.  The  grade  is  re-settled  each 
week  in  the  presence  of  the  division,  and  the  child’s  rank  is 
raised  or  lowered  according  to  the  number  of  marks.  The 
continuance'  in  grade  number  one  for  three  months  advances 
the  child  to  the  Class  of  Honor,  and  like  good  conduct  for  one 
year  entitles  him  to  a discharge  if  the  highest  class  in  school 
has  been  attained.  The  power  of  earning  a discharge  has  a 
most  important  influence  upon  good  conduct.  It  is  said  that 
every  boy  knows  his  position  in  reference  to  a discharge,  and 
can  respond  at  once  when  he  can  be  released.  The  managers 
have  seized  upon  the  golden  rule,  that  ‘punishment  should 
be  made  to  consist  as  far  as  possible  in  the  taking  away  of 
privileges  conceded  for  good  conduct/  It  is  believed  that 
there  is  a power  in  this  principle  not  half  understood,  and  that 
it  may  be  made,  with  perfect  publicity  and  fairness  of  adminis- 
tration, productive  of  the  most  valuable  results. 

“As  a general  rule,  young  men  under  twenty-one  should  be 
sent  to  an  institution  organized  on  the  plan  of  a reformatory. 
Their  sentences  should  be  4 reformatory  sentences,’  and  they 
should  be  able  to  earn  their  discharge  by  good  conduct.  A 
new  institution  might  be  established  which  should  embrace  all 
young  men  of  this  class  between  sixteen  and  twenty-one. 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


This  is  believed  to  be  the  great  need  of  the  hour.  The  annual 
stream  which  is  pouring  into  our  State  Prisons  might  thus,  in 
a measure,  be  checked.” 

The  spirit  governing  the  method  of  classification  in  the 
House  of  Refuge  is  well  illustrated  in  the  following  section  of 
chapter  XXI,  of  the  by-laws  of  the  institution : 

“ Section  1.  The  boys  shall  be  separated  into  three  divisions, 
to  occupy  separate  portions  of  the  main  building,  and  shall  be 
designated  as  the  First , Second , and  Third  Divisions.  Those 
who,  from  their  previous  career,  may  be  deemed  to  be  disposed 
and  likely  to  contaminate  their  companions,  or  who  may 
exhibit  an  intractable  disposition  either  before  commitment  or 
during  their  residence  in  the  House,  shall  be  included  in  the 
Second  and  Third  Divisions,  and  occupy  the  north  wing ; those 
of  a less  depraved  character,  and  more  liable  to  be  injured  by 
the  corrupting  companionship  of  hardened  offenders,  shall  be 
included  in  the  First  Division  and  occupy  the  south  wing. 
The  age  of  the  inmate  shall  not  be  conclusive  in  determining 
his  position,  but  the  danger  of  imparting  and  receiving  contam- 
ination shall  be  the  main  consideration.” 

The  chaplain  of  the  institution.  Rev.  B.  K.  Pierce,  D.  D.,  in 
his  interesting  volume — “A  Half  Century  with  Juvenile 
Delinquents,”  remarks  : “ The  marked  feature  of  the  House 

of  Refuge  at  the  present  time  is,  the  practical  direction  which 
has  been  given  to  its  long-established  system  of  grades,  and 
the  important  office  which  it  is  made  to  accomplish  in  the 
discipline  of  the  House.  So  manifest  has  been  the  effect,  that 
the  lock-ups,  which  were  constructed  in  the  House  at  its  open- 
ing for  separate  and  solitary  punishment,  have  been  every  one 
of  them  removed,  and  a large,  open  dormitory  lias  been  con- 
structed in  their  place.  Corporal  punishment  has  been  in  this 
way  reduced  to  an  exceedingly  small  percentage,  and  a general 
appearance  of  cheerfulness  and  hopefulness  has  been  secured 
throughout  the  institution.  In  the  Appendix  to  this  volume 
the  system  is  presented  in  detail.  The  boy  is  met  when  he 
8 


58 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


enters  the  House  (and  the  same  is  true  of  the  girl)  with  the 
assurance  that  the  hour  of  his  discharge  is  in  his  own  hands. 
The  two  simple  rules  of  the  Refuge  (1st,  ‘ Tell  no  lies/ — 2d, 
‘ Always  do  the  best  you  can’ ) are  recited  to  him,  and  the 
effect  of  obedience  to  them  upon  his  standing  and  comfort  in 
the  House,  and  upon  the  time  of  his  discharge,  is  clearly  and 
fully  explained  to  him.  If  in  the  school,  in  the  shop,  in  the 
yard,  and  everywhere,  he  always  tells  the  truth  and  does  the 
best  he  knows  how,  he  will  receive  and  hold  the  grade  1.  If 
he  retains  this  grade  for  a year,  and  has  advanced  to  the  fourth 
class  in  school,  he  has  purchased  his  discharge  by  good  con- 
duct, and  the  door  that  has  detained  him  opens  before  him  as 
soon  as  his  friends  or  the  institution  can  secure  a suitable 
place  for  him.” 

The  Superintendent,  Mr.  Jones,  in  his  annual  report  for  last 
year,  says: 

“ In  this  way  a new  life  is  begun,  self-restraint  is  imposed, 
diligence,  hitherto  untried,  is  acquired,  and  by  perseverance  in 
well-doing,  inspired,  it  may  be,  at  first  not  by  the  highest 
motives,  good  habits  become  fixed.  By  securing  the  respect 
of  others  the  lad  learns  to  respect  himself,  and  gradually  but 
surely  an  entire  reformation,  in  a large  majority  of  cases,  is  the 
result” 

This  Commission  together  visited  the  House  of  Refuge  on 
Randall'S  Island,  in  July  last,  and  have  pleasure  in  bearing 
testimony  that  our  observations  led  us  to  believe  that  the  insti- 
tution is  fully  entitled  to  all  the  commendation  it  has  received. 

The  Executive  Committee  of  the  Prison  Association  of  New 
York,  in  their  report  for  1869,  remark  : “ If  the  character  of 
sentences  were  so  changed  that  the  release  of  prisoners  was 
made  dependent  on  their  reformation,  or  at  least  on  the  accu- 
mulation of  a certain  amount  of  marks  as  the  result  of  good 
conduct,  industry,  and  progress  in  learning,  such  an  element 
in  their  imprisonment  could  not  fail  to  be  powerfully  opera- 
tive in  the  direction  of  their  moral  amendment.” 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


59 


And  the  Earl  of  Carnarvon  has  shown  that  the  system  has 
been  applied  with  marked  success,  by  the  visiting  Justices  in 
the  gaol  of  Hampshire  county,  in  England. 

Having  seen  the  inequality  and  frequent  injustice  of  time 
sentences,  we  think  the  foregoing  array  of  argument  in  favor 
of  the  practical  results  of  indeterminate  or  reform  sentences 
ought  to  be  conclusive  with  all  reasonable  minds. 

DISCHARGED  CONVICTS. 

But  the  most  perfect  conception  of  prison  discipline  must 
be  comparatively  valueless,  unless  adequate  provision  be  made 
for  the  welfare  of  discharged  convicts.  If  such  a man  be 
brought  up  for  a second  or  third  offense,  and  be  convicted,  the 
severity  of  his  sentence  is  generally  increased  by  the  fact  of  his 
previous  convictions.  Such  is  the  dictum  of  society  pronouced 
in  its  own  self-defense,  and  usually  regarded  as  equitable. 
Society  complacently  looks  upon  the  fresh  crimes  of  the  indi- 
vidual as  proofs  of  his  innate  depravity,  and  seldom  pauses  to 
consider  how  far  society  itself  is  responsible — fearfully  respon- 
sible— for  these  criminal  acts.  'When  a discharged  convict 
re-enters  the  world,  he  may  have  the  best  intentions  as  to  his 
future  life,  and  the  strongest  resolves  to  do  right  and  pursue 
an  honest  career.  Is  it  in  his  power  to  keep  them  ? In  look- 
ing for  employment,  the  fact  of  his  having  been  a convict,  if 
he  make  it  known,  as  a general  rule  will  shut  the  doors  of 
society  with  ignominy  against  him.  Society  thus  tempts  him 
at  the  outset,  as  the  only  alternative  that  he  has,  to  lie  about 
his  previous  record  when  inquired  into,  in  order  that  he  may 
not  be  abruptly  and  perhaps  insultingly  denied  the  opportu- 
nity to  commence  earning  his  bread  by  honest  work.  If  he 
yield  to  this  first  temptation,  where  can  he  go  and  be  certain 
that  sooner  or  later  his  having  been  a convict  will  not  be  dis- 
covered, and  his  discharge  from  employment  immediately 
follow  ? In  that  event  the  fact  of  his  having  misrepresented 
his  previous  occupation,  though  nothing  else  may  appear 


GO 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


against  his  thorough  reform,  it  is  set  down  as  an  additional  * 
mark  to  his  discredit,  and  after  a few  trials  he  finds  society  has 
set  a ban  upon  him,  and  placed  the  mark  of  Cain  on  his 
forehead. 

The  history  of  convicts  is  full  of  such  experience,  and 
innumerable  instances  could  be  adduced  where  the  individual 
finds  it  impossible  to  carry  out  his  virtuous  resolutions.  Mean- 
time he  is  surrounded  by  the  strongest  temptations  and  induce- 
ments— the  pressure  of  want,  and  the  solicitations  of  old 
associates — to  return  to  a life  of  crime.  To  resist  these  suc- 
cessfully he  must  be  aided  by  some  kindly  influence  for  his 
moral  support.  Society  owes  him  the  aid,  not  only  for  his 
benefit,  but  for  its  own  protection.  If  it  be  afforded,  he  will 
probably  be  kept  from  the  evil  path  ; if  withheld,  he  is  likely 
to  become  only  more  hardened  and  embittered  against  society, 
and  to  return  with  added  violence  to  criminal  pursuits. 

This  is  an  old  question,  at  home  and  abroad,  and  if  any 
effort  is  to  be  made  in  Michigan  to  reform  our  criminals,  their 
treatment  after  release  must  enter  largely  into  the  plan,  or 
the  rest  will  be  comparatively  nugatory.  As  long  ago  as 
1803,  in  a communication  to  the  Mechanics’  Association  of 
New  York,  Edward  Livingston,  who  has  been  justly  named 
“ the  father  of  legal  and  penitentiary  reform  in  this  country,” 
when  he  was  mayor  of  that  city  used  this  language:  “It 
must  be  evident  that  nothing  will  tend  so  much  to  defeat  the 
principal  object  of  reformation,  and  at  the  same  time  to  endan- 
ger the  security  of  the  city,  as  the  situation  in  which  those 
stand  at  the  time  of  their  discharge,  who  have  undergone  the 
sentence  of  the  law.  The  odium  justly  attached  to  the  crime 
is  continued  to  the  culprit  after  he  has  suffered  its  penalty. 
He  is  restored  to  society,  but  prejudice  repels  him  from  its 
bosom.  lie  has  acquired  the  skill,  and  has  the  inclination  to 
provide  honestly  for  his  support.  Years  of  penitence  and  labor 
have  wiped  away  his  crime,  and  given  him  habits  of  industry 
and  skill  to  direct  them.  But  no  means  are  provided  for  their 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


61 

exertion.  He  has  no  capital  of  his  own,  and  that  of  others 
will  not  be  intrusted  to  him.  He  is  not  permitted  to  labor, 
he  dares  not  beg,  and  he  is  for  subsistence  driven  to  plunge 
anew  into  the  same  crimes,  to  suffer  the  same  punishment  he 
has  just  undergone,  or  perhaps,  with  more  caution  and  address, 
to  escaps  it.  Thus  the  penitentiary,  instead  of  diminishing, 
may  increase  the  number  of  offenses.” 

An  evil  so  early  recognized,  of  course  has  not  been  without 
efforts  in  various  quarters  for  its  amelioration.  In  our  own 
State,  however,  we  know  of  no  systematic  endeavors  at  remedy 
having  been  attempted,  except  in  the  instance  of  that  praise- 
worthy institution,  the  Detroit  House  of  Shelter,  established 
two  or  three  years  ago,  the  design  of  which,  however,  is 
limited  to  females  discharged  from  the  Detroit  House  of 
Correction. 

But,  to  achieve  beneficial  results  in  this  direction,  it  is  no 
longer  necessary  to  grope  in  the  dark.  The  Irish  Prison 
System  already  discussed  is  not  satisfied  with  merely  reform- 
ing criminals.  An  essential  part  of  its  scheme  is  to  take  care 
of  the  interests  of  manumitted  prisoners  by  finding  them 
remunerative  employment  after  their  discharge.  The  spirit  of 
the  whole  system  has  this  end  in  view,  and  the  treatment  in 
the  advanced  stages  is  devised  with  the  two-fold  object  of 
convincing  the  convict  that  you  really  trust  him,  and  con- 
vincing the  public  that  the  discharged  convict  may  be  safely 
employed.  The  government  has  an  agent  in  Dublin  (Mr. 
James  Organ),  a part  of  whose  duty  is  to  find  employment 
for  these  men.  When  he  began  this  work  fourteen  years  ago, 
it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that  he  could  find  places  for 
any.  Now,  the  difficulty  is  reversed,  so  that  it  is  harder  for 
an  employer  to  yet  a liberated  convict  than  it  is  for  each  con- 
vict to  find  an  employer. 

In  a late  report  by  Mr.  Organ,  he  says : Crime  is  fast  dis- 
appearing in  Dublin,  and  old  and  habitual  thieves  are  becom- 
ing honest  and  industrious  citizens,  whilst  homes  that  have 


62 


REPORT  OX  PEXAL  AX* 


hitherto  been  the  scenes  of  vice  and  poverty  are  now  replaced 
by  those  of  morality  and  plenty.  Employers  continue  to 
repose  confidence  in  my  men,  and  the  demand  for  them  during 
the  past  year  has  at  times  exceeded  the  supply  .” 

What  a contrast  to  the  position  of  liberated  convicts  in  this 
country. 

Speaking  of  the  intermediate  Agricultural  Prison  at  Lusk, 
about  twelve  miles  from  Dublin,  Mr.  Organ  says:  “I  cannot 
speak  too  highly  of  the  cheering  effects  which  farm  labor  has 
produced,  even  upon  the  most  sluggish  criminals,  or  of  its 
happy  results  even  upon  the  cool  and  calculating  .adept  in 
vice,  from  whose  brow  the  honest  drop  of  sweat  never 
trickled.”  Further,  that  he  regards  “as  proved  in  innumera- 
ble instances  that  the  most  indolent  criminals  can  be  trained 
to  honest  and  independent  toil,  not  so  much  through  fear  or 
coercion,  as  through  the  influence  of  hope  and  encouragement.” 

Again,  to  use  the  language  of  Rev.  Dr.  Wines:  “Besides 
effecting  the  remarkable  change  just  mentioned,  thereby  remov- 
ing all  obstacles  out  of  the  way  of  the  re-absorption  of  dis- 
charged convicts  into  virtuous  society,  which  remains  among 
us  the  most  difficult  and  perplexing  of  all  the  problems  we 
have  to  grapple  with,  the  result  of  this  system  has  been  to 
diminish  crime  in  Ireland  more  than  fifty  per  cent.  The 
number  of  convicts  confined  in  government  prisons  in  1854 
was  3,933,  in  1866  it  was  only  1,637.  * * * Hence, 

it  would  seem  that  for  Ireland  the  vexed  problem,  what  shall 
be  done  with  our  criminals  ? which  has  been  for  ages  a crux 
terribilis  to  the  nations,  has  been  satisfactorily  solved.” 

As  regards  the  question  of  expense,  wre  have  already  seen 
that  the  best  reformatory  prison  vre  have,  the  Detroit  House 
of  Correction,  is  a money-making  institution  under  the  able 
executive  management  of  Mr.  Brockway,  and  that  the  reform 
system  in  Ireland,  in  fourteen  years,  has  converted  one-half  her 
criminals  into  honest  and  industrious  producers ; and  so  long 
as  criminals  continue  unreformed  it  is  a fair  subject  of  inquiry 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


63 


whether,  when  at  large,  they  do  not  cost  the  community  much 
more  than  when  kept  within  the  walls  of  even  expensive 
institutions. 

Since  the  members  of  this  Commission  agreed  upon  making 
the  recommendations  herein  contained,  in  regard  to  prison 
reform,  the  views  set  forth  have  been  strengthened  by  the 
adoption  at  the  National  Congress  of  Penitentiary  and  Reform- 
atory Discipline,  which  was  held  at  Cincinnati  in  October  last, 
after  full  discussion,  of  a “ Declaration  of  Principles,”  among 
which  are  the  following  : 

“III.  The  progressive  classification  of  prisoners,  based  on 
character,  and  worked  on  some  well  adjusted  mark  system, 
should  be  established  in  all  prisons  above  the  common  jail. 

“ IV.  Since  hope  is  a more  potent  agent  than  fear,  it  should 
be  made  an  ever-present  force  in  the  minds  of  prisoners  by  a 
well  devised  and  skillfully  applied  system  of  rewards  for  good 
conduct,  industry,  and  attention  to  learning.  Rewards,  more 
than  punishments,  are  essential  to  every  good  prison  system* 

“V.  The  prisoner’s  destiny  should  be  placed  in  his  own 
hands;  he  must  be  put  into  circumstances  where  he  will  be 
able,  through  his  own  exertions,  to  continually  better  his  own 
condition.  A regulated  self-interest  must  be  brought  into 
play,  and  made  constantly  operative. 

“ VIII.  Peremptory  sentences  ought  to  be  replaced  by  those 
of  indeterminate  length.  Sentences  limited  only  by  satisfac- 
tory proof  of  reformation  should  be  substituted  for  those 
measured  by  mere  lapse  of  time. 

“ XVIII.  The  more  valuable  parts  of  the  Irish  prison  sys- 
tem— the  more  strictly  penal  stage  of  separate  imprisonment, 
the  reformatory  stage  of  progressive  classification,  and  the 
probationary  stage  of  moral  imprisonment  and  natural  training 
— are  believed  as  applicable  to  one  country  as  another — to  the 
United  States  as  to  Ireland. 

“XXXI.  The  construction,  organization,  and  management 
of  all  prisons  should  be  by  the  State,  and  they  should  form  a 


64 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


graduated  series  of  reformatory  establishments,  being  arranged 
with  a view  to  the  industrial  employment,  intellectual  educa- 
tion, and  moral  training  of  the  inmates.” 

STATE  PRISON. 

On  the  subject  of  the  State  Prison  at  Jackson,  it  seems  only 
necessary  to  add,  that  if  intermediate  district  prisons  shall  be 
established,  it  would,  in  the  general  plan,  be  a prison  for  the 
custody  of  the  worst  and  most  incorrigible  class  of  criminals, 
the  discipline  of  which  might  be  modified  so  far  as  practicable 
to  carry  out  the  general  principles  recommended ; and  power 
might  be  vested  in  some  authority  for  the  removal  of  any  of 
its  inmates  to  intermediate  prisons  when  fit  subjects  for  such 
action  should  be  found. 


PAUPERISM. 

In  all  organized  communities  there  has  been  more  or  less 
pauperism.  The  subject  has  engaged  the  attention  of  the 
philanthropist,  philosopher,  and  legislator  from  the  days  of 
Moses  to  the  present  time.  The  poor  have  existed  under  all 
forms  of  government,  whether  Theocracy,  Monarchy,  or  Re- 
public, and  the  amelioration  of  their  condition,  or  the  removal 
of  the  causes  which  lead  to  destitution  and  poverty,  has  been 
the  subject  of  legal  enactments  and  voluntary  efforts  in  all 
countries  advanced  in  civilization. 

The  progress  made  in  the  removal  of  this,  as  of  other  great 
social  evils,  has  hitherto  been  exceedingly  slow ; and  although 
we  should  expect  that  the  entire  destruction  of  pauperism  can 
only  be  accomplished  when  the  whole  people  shall  become  per- 
fected in  everything  that  makes  man  good  and  wise,  yet  we  see, 
in  looking  over  history,  that  it  has  been  lessened  by  wise  laws, 
and  increased  by  pernicious  legislation. 

That  the  subject  should  engage  the  serious  consideration  of 
the  people,  is  shown  by  the  magnitude  of  the  evil  in  Michigan, 
and  more  especially  in  some  of  the  older  States  of  this  coun- 
try and  under  the  governments  of  Europe,  where  the  number 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


05 


of  paupers  swell  into  mighty  armies,  and  the  annual  expendi- 
ture to  feed  and  clothe  them  amounts  to  many  millions  of 
dollars. 

In  the  State  of  Massachusetts  the  number  of  paupers  in 
1868  was  11,133,  and  the  cost  of  their  support  was  oyer  one 
million  dollars.  The  whole  number  in  alms-houses  in  the 
State  of  New  York  in  1867  was  13,690,  and  the  amount  ex- 
pended for  their  maintenance  and  for  out-door  relief  for  the 
same  year,  was  $2,387,023.  Besides  this  expenditure,  very  large 
numbers  in  these  States  are  maintained  in  private  charitable 
institutions.  The  amount  expended  in  England  and  Wales, 
during  the  sixteen  years  from  1818  to  1834,  was  between  thirty 
and  thirty-five  million  dollars  annually.  The  amount  of  poor 
rate  levied  in  those  countries  in  1859  wTas  $40,541,110, — the 
population  being  for  that  year  1 9,578,000.  Very  large  numbers 
in  these  countries  are  also  relieved  by  private  charities. 

The  largest  number  at  one  time  of  paupers  in  the  county 
poor-houses  of  this  State  in  1869  w'as  1,478,  and  the  amount 
expended  for  their  support  in  the  same  year,  exclusive  of  the 
amount  raised  on  the  county  farms,  was  $117,515  59.  The 
amount  expended  during  the  same  year  for  out-door  or  tempo- 
rary relief,  was  $148,611  69. 

The  percentage  of  paupers  in  new  States  is  always  less  than 
in  the  older  ones,  on  account  of  the  greater  demand  for  labor, 
the  simpler  ways  of  life,  and  the  greater  ease  of  obtaining  the 
means  of  support.  As  our  State  becomes  more  densely  popu- 
lated, and  our  cities  increase  in  size,  we  may  expect  to  have  a 
condition  of  things  not  unlike  that  which  we  find  in  older 
countries,  unless  we  check  the  progress  of  this  great  social  evil 
by  wise  and  timely  legislation,  and  a diminution  of  the  causes 
which  lead  to  poverty  and  destitution. 

The  evils  now  existing  in  the  pauper  system  of  this  State 
we  have  already  attempted  to  point  out.  A very  prominent 
cause  of  these  evils  is  a ivant  of  proper  classification . We 
have  seen  that  the  aged,  the  young,  the  insane,  the  demented, 
9 


66 


EEPORT  OK  PEKAL  AND 


the  idiots,  the  common  vagrants,  those  who  have  been  reduced 
to  destitution  and  want  through  lives  of  vicious  indulgence 
and  crime,  and  those  who  are  without  a blemish  on  their  char- 
acter, are  collected  together  in  the  county  alms-houses,  pro- 
miscuously ; eating  from  the  same  table,  congregating  idly 
together  in  the  same  rooms, — the  foolish  with  those  wiser, — the 
vicious  and  criminal  with  the  pure  and  unspotted, — without 
order  or  system,  and  generally  with  no  attempt  to  improve  or 
make  them  better,  physically,  morally,  or  mentally.  It  cannot 
be  claimed  that  these  evils  are  the  result  of  the  imperfect 
institutions  of  a new  State,  which  will  disappear  as  we  advance 
in  age,  wealth,  and  population. 

The  condition  of  the  county  infirmaries  in  the  State  of 
Ohio,  and  of  the  poor-houses  in  the  State  of  New  York 
(except  in  the  large  cities),  as  made  known  by  the  reports  of 
their  Boards  of  Public  Charities,  give  us  no  hope  of  improve- 
ment by  age,  unless  we  can  claim  a better  class  of  people  than 
theirs, — a proposition  that  will  hardly  be  maintained  when  it 
is  considered  that  a large  proportion  of  our  population  is 
composed  of  emigrants  from  those  States,  and  that  our  insti- 
tutions are  very  similar  to  their  own.  The  reports  above 
referred  to  are  full  of  sickening  and  disgusting  details  of  the 
condition  of  the  paupers  in  very  many  of  the  county  institu- 
tions of  those  States ; some  of  the  very  worst  ones  being  in 
the  oldest  and  most  populous  counties. 

The  want  of  proper  classification  and  care  is  not  the  fault 
of  those  who  have  these  matters  in  charge,  but  in  the  system. 
The  number  in  each  county  poor-house  is  usually  so  small, 
that  classification  is  impracticable.  In  all  small  institutions  of 
this  kind,  the  care  of  paupers  is  almost  universally  custodial. 
It  is  only  by  congregating  large  numbers,  as  in  the  institutions 
for  the  poor  in  large  cities,  and  in  the  State  alms-houses  of 
New  England,  that  anything  like  classification  or  improve- 
ment in  the  moral  or  mental  condition  of  the  inmates  can  be 
undertaken  successfully.  We  believe  that  a wise  economy 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


67 


requires  that  classification  should  be  attempted  at  no  distant 
day  in  this  State,  so  that  the  different  classes  may  be  subjected 
to  management  adapted  to  their  various  conditions ; and 
to  provide  for  such  classification  we  deem  just  and  prudent 
legislation  desirable. 

The  following  classes  of  paupers  in  this  State  may  very  wrell 
be  made,  and  their  treatment  considered  separately  : 

1st.  The  Insane. 

2d.  Idiots  and  the  Feeble  Minded. 

3d.  Children  under  sixteen  years  of  age. 

4th.  Dissolute  Paupers. 

5th.  The  Old,  the  Infirm,  and  the  Diseased. 

1st.  The  Insane. 

There  were  in  the  county  poor-houses,  at  the  time  of  our 
examination  of  the  same,  during  the  year  1869,  215  insane 
paupers,  exclusive  of  nine  of  the  smaller  counties  which  were 
not  visited.  As  may  be  seen  from  the  statements  heretofore 
made  in  this  report,  the  present  system  of  providing  for  this 
class  of  unfortunates  is  bad  in  every  particular,  and  such  as 
should  not  be  encouraged  by  any  philanthropist  or  statesman. 
This  class,  like  the  pauper  idiots  and  the  children  who  through 
misfortune  are  subjects  of  public  charity,  as  we  have  already 
suggested,  should  be  the  wards  of  the  State. 

Being  alike  helpless,  the  State  should  see  that  those  laboring- 
under  mental  disease  or  imbecility  should  have  careful  and 
skillful  treatment  to  restore  their  minds,  if  possible,  to  a 
healthful  condition ; and  the  helpless  children  should  be  so 
educated  and  trained  as  to  give  them  a fair  chance  to  become 
useful  citizens,  instead  of  growing  up  under  the  contaminating 
influence  of  life  in  the  county  poor-house. 

All  insane  persons,  whose  condition  is  such  as  requires  their 
being  kept  in  custody,  should  be  under  the  care  and  supervis- 
ion of  competent  medical  men,  who  understand  from  training 
and  experience,  the  proper  management  of  this  class  of  persons. 


68 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


After  a careful  examination  of  the  condition  of  the  pauper 
insane,  as  found  in  the  county  institutions  in  this  and  other 
States,  the  members  of  this  Commission  wish  to  express,  in  the 
strongest  terms , their  condemnation  of  the  whole  system  of 
county  custody  of  this  class.  In  the  State  of  New  York, 
where  this  system  has  been  long  in  operation,  the  result  has 
been  such  as  to  call  for  its  condemnation  by  all  persons  and 
commissions  who  have  investigated  the  matter.  Miss  Dix, 
twenty-five  years  ago,  presented  the  terrible  condition  of  the 
insane  and  other  paupers  in  the  county  poor  houses,  in  a 
memorial  to  the  Legislature  of  that  State.  A select  commit- 
tee appointed  by  the  Senate  in  1857,  composed  of  Mark 
Spencer,  George  Bradford,  and  M.  Bindley  Lee,  to  visit  chari- 
table institutions  and  city  and  county  poor-houses,  in  their 
report  condemn,  m the  strongest  terms,  the  abuses  of  the 
insane  in  the  county  poor-houses  and  small  county  asylums. 

Again,  in  1865,  Sylvester  D.  Willard,  M.  D.,  having  been 
appointed  by  the  Assembly  of  that  State  to  investigate  the 
condition  of  the  insane  poor  in  the  various  county  asylums 
and  poor-houses  in  the  State,  makes  use  of  the  following 
language:  “They”  (the  poor-houses)  “have  become  filled 
to  an  excess  of  human  misery,  degradation,  and  wretchedness, 
that  wrings  a cry  of  distress  from  the  heart  of  every  philan- 
thropist. These  evils  have  become  so  great  and  so  glaring  that 
they  are  a stigma  upon  the  class  of  our  charitable  institutions 
where  insane  poor  are  confined,  upon  our  communities,  and 
upon  the  fair  name  of  our  State.  The  facts  elicited  by  this 
investigation  are  too  appalling  to  be  forgotten,  and  too  impor- 
tant to  be  thrown  aside.” 

Again,  in  the  report  of  the  Board  of  Public  Charities  for 
1869,  after  giving  the  details  as  they  existed  in  the  various 
counties,  of  the  care  and  treatment  of  the  pauper  insane,  they 
sum  up  as  follows:  “'The  result  of  these  details  is  that  in 
Borne  one  or  more  of  the  counties  there  are  these  forms  of 
abuse.  The  buildings  are  meagre,  or  greatly  out  of  repair, 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


69 


with  bioken  walls  or  floors,  and  badly  arranged  as  to  conven- 
ience of  light  and  ventilation.  There  are  cells  for  the  confine- 
ment of  the  insane,  sometimes  in  prison  style,  with  heavy, 
grated  doors;  again,  in  the  basement,  with  imperfect  light; 
again,  in  the  form  of  dungeons,  wholly  dark  and  without  any 
furniture.  The  air  of  the  rooms  is  close,  and  the  stench  intol- 
erable. The  cells  are  dirty,  the  beds  torn  in  pieces,  and  the 
floor  littered  with  straw  and  bits  of  clothing.  Eats  at  times 
perform  the  duties  of  scavengers. 

“ Into  these  pest-houses  the  insane  are  crowded,  associating 
with  idiots,  and  paupers  of  sound  mind— adults  as  well  as 
children.  I he  excitable  and  noisy  may  be  confined  in  cells  in 
chains,  close  neighbors  to  the  inoffensive  and  quiet.  Two  of 
them  may  be  locked  up  in  a single  cell.  Among  them  may  be 
those  who  are  filthy  in  their  habits,  others  are  partially  or 
entirely  nude,— females  as  well  as  males,— and  continuing  in 
this  condition  for  months  and  even  years.  Here  are  chronic 
cases  of  thirty-five  years’  standing ; here  are  also  recent  cases, 
without  any  special  medical  treatment,  or  any  official  effort 
made  to  secure  their  admission  to  the  State  Asylum.  The 
insane  receive  no  other  care  than  that  awarded  to  paupers; 
not  unfrequently  incompetent  paupers  are  the  keepers  and 
attendants,  and  at  times  they  are  treated  rudely  and  severely. 
They  suffer  from  medicine  administered  without  the  knowledge 
of  a physician.  The  county  authorities  are  sometimes  parsi- 
monious, and  furnish  no  chairs,  or  muffs,  to  control  excitable 
patients.  Is  it  a wonder  that  many  are  in  a state  of  constant 
irritation,  or  the  dreary  record  is  so  often  found,  that  of  large 
numbers  discharged  from  the  State  asylums  and  found  in  the 
county  poor-houses,  few  if  any  have  materially  improved? 
Will  the  people  of  the  State  of  Hew  York,  when  they  compre- 
hend the  inhuman  treatment  the  insane  poor  sometimes 
receive,  leave  a system  in  unchecked  operation  which  admits 
of  such  enormities?  Though  we  have  spoken  emphatically 
concerning  the  mismanagement  of  poor-houses,  our  views  are 


70 


REPORT  OX  PENAL  AND 


not  without  the  most  respectable  support  in  the  examination 
and  conclusion  of  others.  The  evils  deplored  are  chronic , and 
again  and  again  have  thoughtful  men  held  them  up  to  notice/' 

We  have  quoted  thus  freely  from  these  reports  to  show 
where  certainly  we  in  this  State  are  drifting,  in  the  care  and 
treatment  of  the  pauper  insane.  Our  population,  as  we  have 
said,  is  composed,  to  a great  extent,  of  emigrants  from  the 
State  of  New  York,  and  their  descendants.  Our  poor-laws 
are  copied  very  nearly  from  those  of  that  State,  and  we  cannot 
reasonably  expect  that  they  will  be  better  administered.  As 
has  been  already  shown,  the  condition  of  the  insane  in  many 
of  our  pooiyhouses  is  in  some  instances  quite  as  bad  as  it  is 
there.  Already  the  houses  are  filling  up  with  insane  persons, 
many  of  them  recent  cases,  who  have  never  had,  and  we  fear 
never  will  have,  under  the  present  system,  any  proper  medical 
treatment  for  their  cure,  on  account  of  the  parsimoniousness 
of  the  authorities  having  the  matter  in  charge,  and  from  want 
of  sufficient  accommodations  in  the  State  Asylum. 

Shall  we,  too,  drift  along  in  the  ruts  of  our  ancestors,  and 
for  want  of  proper  foresight  and  just  legislation,  suffer  so 
many  of  our  fellow-beings,  deprived  of  that  greatest  gift  of 
God  to  man, — reason, — to  eke  out  a miserable  existence  amid 
all  the  sickening  and  disgusting  scenes  so  vividly  portrayed  in 
the  reports  from  which  we  have  quoted  ? 

We  recommend  to  the  State  to  take  the  matter  into  its  own 
control,  and  make  provision  for  the  proper  care  and  treatment 
of  the  insane  paupers.  On  grounds  of  humanity,  they  should 
be  treated  as  wards  of  the  State.  Not  only  should  the  State 
provide  for  the  care  and  treatment  of  the  paupers  of  this  class, 
but  suitable  provision  should  also  be  made  to  enable  residents 
of  this  State  who  have  insane  friends  or  relatives  whom  they 
wish  to  put  into  an  asylum,  and  for  whose  care  and  treatment 
they  are  able  to  pay,  to  do  so. 

There  is  an  urgent  necessity  that  the  State  should  provide 
immediately  increased  accommodations  for  the  insane,  whether 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


71 


it  assumes  the  control  of  the  whole  of  that  class  who  are  sup- 
ported by  the  public  or  not. 

According  to  the  estimate  of  competent  authorities,  we 
must  now  have,  unprovided  for,  from  six  hundred  to  eight 
hundred  insane  persons  in  this  State,  who  should  be  under  the 
control  and  management  of  competent  medical  men.  There 
is  scarcely  a neighborhood  that  is  not  afflicted  or  annoyed  with 
one  or  more  unsafe  and  disorderly  insane  persons,  and  no  tax 
would  be  more  cheerfully  met  than  that  which  will  provide 
for  their  custody  and  treatment. 

The  average  cost  for  the  buildings  alone  of  thirteen  of  the 
leading  Insane  Asylums  in  the  United  States  has  been  $1,248 
for  each  patient,  and  the  most  of  these  were  erected  before  the 
great  advance  in  prices  which  occurred  during  the  war.  The 
expense  of  establishing  our  own  State  Asylum  at  Kalamazoo, 
including  land  and  all  other  expenses,  as  we  understand, 
exceeds  $1,600  per  patient. 

We  are  aware  that  if  the  State  shall  provide  for  all  the 
insane  who  should  be  in  asylums,  it  will  be  attended  with  a 
very  considerable  outlay  of  money.  Following  the  example 
of  older  States,  Michigan  has  been  very  generous  in  expendi- 
tures for  the  erection  of  the  institutions  already  established ; 
We  are  satisfied,  however,  that  the  opinion  of  many  of  the  best 
informed  men  on  these  subjects  (in  which  opinion  we  fully 
concur)  is  that  the  construction  account  of  similar  institutions 
to  be  hereafter  erected  may  be  materially  lessened  without 
detriment  to  the  objects  to  be  attained. 

We  would  not  advise  cheapness  or  parsimoniousness  in  the 
care  of  the  insane,  but  would  respectfully  submit  whether  it 
would  not  be  wrise,  in  view  of  the  great  magnitude  of  the 
work,  and  the  amount  of  money  which  must  necessarily  be 
expended  in  providing  for  all  of  those  in  the  State  who  need 
treatment,  to  take  into  careful  consideration  the  question  of 
expenditures,  and  seek  whether  any  improvement  in  the  system 
of  management  can  be  judiciously  instituted ; and  in  the  con- 


REPORT  Qtt  PENAL  AND 


Btruction  of  buildings,  while  we  would  secure  everything  that 
the  most  scientific  treatment  may  demand,  we  would  recom- 
mend utility  and  permanency  without  expensive  ornamentation 
and  display. 

Whenever  it  is  deemed  advisable  to  establish  any  institution^ 
it  would  be  much  more  economical,  after  careful  estimates  of 
the  cost  of  construction,  to  appropriate  the  whole  amount 
required  at  once,  or  as  rapidly  as  the  money  may  be  needed. 

The  cost  of  our  present  asylum  has,  we  believe,  been  con- 
siderably increased  by  the  irregularity  of  the  work,  for  the 
want  of  timely  appropriation  of  funds. 

An  addition  of  tw'o  buildings  to  our  present  asylum,  capable 
of  accommodating  one  hundred  each,  one  for  males,  and  the 
other  for  females,  could  be  economically  accomplished,  and 
afford  increased  facilities  for  classification  of  the  inmates  of 
the  whole  institution.  An  urgent  and  immediate  demand 
exists  for  additional  provision,  and  either  the  enlargement 
should  be  made,  or  a new  institution  established  at  some  other 
point  at  the  earliest  possible  time. 

Only  two  objections  occur  to  this  Commission  against  the 
enlargement  of  the  present  asylum.  One  is  that  the  number 
of  inmates  would  then  perhaps  be  too  large  to  be  successfully 
and  profitably  treated  by  one  man,  who,  we  conceive,  should 
have  close  supervision  of  alt  the  affairs  of  the  institution  in 
order  to  insure  the  most  beneficial  results  financially  and 
otherwise.  If  thus  enlarged,  the  number  of  patients  would 
exceed  considerably  that  of  most  institutions  of  the  kind  in 
the  country. 

The  present  very  able  superintendent  is  of  the  opinion  that 
an  asylum  containing  five  hundred  inmates  can  be  successfully 
managed  financially,  and  the  patients  treated  with  the  greatest 
degree  of  success  obtainable  under  the  present  system,  by  one 
man  with  well  trained  subordinates.  With  an  asylum  of  the 
size  of  ours  at  present,  the  State  should  rather  err  in  not 
increasing  its  capacity  than  in  getting  it  too  large. 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


The  second  objection  which  would  favor  the  establishment 
of  a new  asylum,  is  the  well  ascertained  fact,  that  communities 
remote  from  such  institutions  are  not  as  likely  to  avail  them- 
selves of  their  advantages  as  those  who  are  near,  and  it  is 
deemed  important  that  the  early  and  prompt  application  of 
treatment  in  insanity  should  be  encouraged. 

If  the  Legislature  shall  decide  that  all  insane  paupers  shall 
be  under  the  control  of  the  State,  we  would  recommend  the 
establishment  of  another  asylum  immediately,  to  be  fully  equal 
in  all  respects  to  the  best  of  the  kind  in  the  country,  so  far  as 
curative  agencies  are  concerned.  No  change  of  system  should 
be  adopted  with  the  sole  view  of  cheapness  of  maintenance, 
but  if  industrial  employments  should  be  introduced  as  a part  of 
the  regime,  it  should  be  because  they  improve  the  physical  and 
mental  condition  of  the  inmates,  and  the  profits  arising  there- 
from should  be  incidental  and  not  the  end  sought. 

We  are  opposed  to  the  establishment  of  any  institution  of 
this  class  solely  for  supposed  incurables,  and  which  shall  be 
only  custodial  in  its  character. 

It  would  be  well  for  the  State  to  pursue  that  course  on  this 
most  difficult  and  embarrassing  subject,  which  will  be  compre- 
hensive in  its  results,  and  will  give  to  all  the  insane  that  care 
and  treatment  which  justice  and  humanity  demand.  A few 
thousand  dollars  expended  now  in  settling  upon  some  definite 
plan,  which  would  require  more  time  than  this  Commission 
with  its  manifold  duties  is  able  to  give,  may  save  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  dollars  in  the  future,  and  ensure  thorough  and 
scientific  treatment  or  proper  custody  to  all  insane  persons  in 
the  State.  We  can  point  with  pride  to  our  noble  institution 
for  the  insane,  which  is  a credit  to  the  State  in  its  architecture 
and  imposing  appearance,  and  stands  as  evidence  of  our  mate- 
rial prosperity,  and  of  the  enlarged  views  and  noble  hearts 
of  our  legislators.  Its  management,  under  the  present  able 
superintendent,  is  spoken  of  as  a model  of  excellence  at  home 
and  abroad,  but  we  must  remember  that  eighty  per  cent  of 
10 


n 


REPORT  O^T  PEKAL  AND 


its  incurable  inmates  are  remanded  to  miserable  homes,  or 
to  the  county  poor-houses,  such  as  we  have  shown  them  to  be, 
and  that  the  change  from  an  abode  in  this  costly  and  spacious 
edifice,  with  all  its  comforts,  to  the  sickening  and  disgusting 
scenes  of  many  of  the  pauper  homes,  is  truly  appalling.  We 
must  remember,  too,  the  large  numbers  in  our  State,  who,  for 
want  of  sufficient  accommodations,  can  have  no  treatment ; 
that  our  present  asylum  is  filled  to  its  utmost  capacity,  and 
that  oyer  one  hundred  have  been  turned  away  within  the  past 
year  for  want  of  room. 

2d.  Idiots  and  the  Feeble-Minded. 

The  same  reasons  may  be  assigned  with  greater  force  for  the 
State  to  assume  the  control  of  this  unfortunate  class  of  pau- 
pers, that  have  been  given  for  the  care  of  the  insane.  Their 
condition  as  we  have  found  them  in  the  county  poor-houses,  is 
in  many  instances  deplorable  in  the  extreme.  Language 
would  fail  to  convey  an  idea  of  their  forlorn  and  utterly  hope- 
less condition. 

The  readiness  of  the  people  of  this  State  to  adopt  all  reason- 
able measures  for  the  elevation  of  those  who  should  be  under 
its  care  and  protection  will  not  permit  them  to  be  long  without 
an  institution  for  the  education  and  improvement  of  this 
class,  which,  as  Dr.  Samuel  G.  Howe  remarks,  “is  far,  far  more 
deplorably  afflicted  than  the  deaf-mutes,  the  blind,  or  insane, 
for  whom  the  State,  to  a great  extent,  has  provided.” 

We  have  now  in  the  county  poor-houses  about  75  idiots  or 
feeble-minded  persons.  There  are  in  the  whole  State,  accord- 
ing to  estimates  of  competent  authorities,  about  one  thousand 
idiots. 

The  corner-stone  of  the  first  public  institution  built  expressly 
for  the  education  of  idiots  in  this  country,  wTas  laid  at  Syracuse, 
Hew  York,  on  the  8th  day  of  September,  1854.  An  experi- 
mental school  for  idiots  had  been  established  in  Boston,  in 
1846,  under  the  auspices  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  and  a 
private  institution  for  the  same  purpose  was  established  by  Dr. 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


YO 


H.  B.  Wilbur,  at  Barre,  Mass.,  the  same  year.  In  1852  a private 
school  had  been  founded  in  Germantown,  which  soon  became 
the  Pennsylvania  Training  School  for  Idiots  at  Media.  The 
States  of  Connecticut  and  Ohio,  in  1855  and  1857,  Kentucky 
in  1860,  and  Illinois  in  1865,  established  similar  schools.  We 
have  thus  eight  schools  in  the  United  States  devoted  to  this 
purpose,  in  which  about  one  thousand  pupils  are  constantly 
receiving  training  and  education. 

The  result  of  the  experiments  to  develop  the  minds  of  this 
unfortunate  class  is  found,  after  careful  analysis,  to  be,  that  of 
idiots  not  affected  with  epilepsy,  who  are  brought  under 
instruction  in  childhood,  from  one-third  to  one-fourth  may  be 
made  to  perform  the  ordinary  duties  of  life  with  tolerable  ability. 
They  may  learn  to  read  and  write,  to  understand  the  elemen- 
tary facts  of  geography,  arithmetic,  and  history,  to  labor  in 
the  mechanical  arts,  under  proper  supervision,  and  to  attain 
sufficient  knowledge  of  government  and  morals  to  fulfill  many 
of  the  duties  of  a citizen. 

A larger  class,  probably  one-half  of  the  whole,  will  become 
cleanly,  quiet,  able,  perhaps,  to  read  and  write  imperfectly,  and 
to  perform,  under  the  direction  of  others,  many  kinds  of  labor 
requiring  little  thought.  The  remainder  will  make  little  or 
no  improvement. 

Dr.  Edward  Seguin,  an  eminent  French  physician  and  phi- 
lanthropist, who  may  be  considered  the  originator  of  the 
present  system  of  education  for  idiots  and  feeble-minded 
persons,  and  who  is  considered  the  highest  authority  on  this 
subject,  says:  “Not  one  in  a thousand  has  been  entirely 
refractory  to  treatment ; not  one  in  a hundred  who  has  not 
been  more  happy  and  healthy;  more  than  thirty  per  cent  have 
been  taught  to  conform  to  social  and  moral  laws,  and  rendered 
capable  of  order,  of  good  feeling,  and  working  like  one-third 
of  a man ; more  than  forty  per  cent  have  become  capable  of 
the  ordinary  transactions  of  life  under  friendly  control,  of 
understanding  moral  and  social  abstractions,  of  working  like 
two-thirds  of  a man ; and  twenty-five  to  thirty  per  cent  come 


76 


REPORT  OK  PEKAL  AND 


nearer  and  nearer  to  the  standard  of  manhood,  till  some  of 
them  will  defy  the  scrutiny  of  good  judges,  wdien  compared 
with  ordinary  young  me*n  and  women/’ 

When  we  look  at  the  helpless  and  hopeless  condition  of  the 
idiots  and  feeble-minded  persons  in  our  county  poor-houses, 
and  reflect  on  the  large  number  of  that  class  in  the  State, 
many  of  them  certain  to  be  led  into  evil  habits  and  crime, 
when  we  knowr  that  by  proper  care  and  training  a large  pro- 
portion of  them  may  be  made  useful  citizens,  and  others  raised 
from  their  condition  of  utter  helplessness  to  take  proper  care 
of  their  own  persons,  wn  feel  like  urging  upon  the  State  the 
early  establishment  of  an  institution  for  their  training,  educa- 
tion, and  care.  Such  an  institution  should  provide  for  the 
custody  of  all  the  pauper  idiot  and  feeble-minded  children  of 
the  State,  and  give  instruction  to  those  who  can  be  benefited 
by  it,  and  at  the  same  time,  if  deemed  advisable,  it  could  be 
made  sufficiently  extensive  to  offer  its  benefits  to  those  citizens 
of  the  State  who  may  have  any  of  that  class  whom  they  wish 
to  enjoy  its  advantages,  and  who  are  able  to  pay  for  such 
privileges. 

So  far  as  the  pauper  class  is  concerned,  the  expense  of  main- 
taining them  under  State  control  in  one  large  institution 
would  not  materially  difier  from  that  of  the  present  system  of 
county  custody,  while  it  offers  the  advantage  of  giving  them 
the  benefit  of  the  chance  of  being  educated  to  become  pro- 
ducing citizens,  instead  of  remaining  as  they  are,  and  always 
will  be  under  the  present  system,  non-producers,  and  often 
very  loathsome  ones. 

Pauper  Children . 

Very  much  stronger  reasons  can  be  given  for  the  removal 
of  the  pauper  children  from  the  county  poor-houses  than  can 
be  given  for  the  removal  of  the  insane  and  idiots.  They  have 
all  their  faculties,  and  are  to  grow  up  to  fill  places  in  the  State 
for  weal  or  for  woe.  Who  can  doubt  for  a moment,  when  they 
know  the  influences  by  which  such  young  persons  are  sur- 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


77 


rounded,  that  very  many  will  be  lost  to  themselves,  and  many 
more  will  become  criminals,  and  inmates  of  our  penal  and 
correctional  institutions.  There  is  no  doubt  that  this  class, 
unlike  the  insane  and  idiots,  can  all  be  trained  and  educated. 

The  condition  of  the  children  in  county  poor-houses  has 
been  the  subject  of  serious  thought,  and  has  called  forth  great 
commiseration  from  committees,  boards  of  public  charities, 
and  philanthropists  in  many  of  the  States,  yet  they  are  left,  in 
most  cases,  to  remain  amid  those  baneful  influences,  and  legis- 
lators, unmindful,  as  we  think,  of  the  true  interests  of  the 
commonwealth,  still  suffer  them  to  grow  up  to  become  perma- 
nent charges  upon  the  State,  as  large  numbers  of  them,  unless 
otherwise  provided  for,  must  inevitably  become  fixtures  in  our 
charitable,  reformatory,  or  penal  institutions.  This  great 
stream  of  evil  should  be  turned  aside  at  its  source,  where  small 
means  and  slight  influences  will  accomplish  it,  and  not  suf- 
fered to  become  the  mighty  torrent,  carrying  devastation  before 
it  The  number  of  children  in  almshouses  in  the  States  of 
New  York  and  Ohio  have  become  so  great  that  the  authorities 
are  perplexed  to  know  what  do  do  with  them.  The  number  in 
the  county  poor-houses  in  New  York,  in  1869,  was  1,222,  and 
their  Board  of  Public  Charities,  in  their  report  for  that  year, 
say : “ The  existence  of  this  large  number  excites  the  most 
painful  feelings.  Many  of  them  are  born  in  the  county-house, 
and  pass  there  the  early  days  of  childhood.  When  we  remem- 
ber howr  their  earliest  experience  of  life  is  public  dependence 
under  its  most  unfavorable  aspect,  in  the  company  of  the 
wretched  and  depraved,  when  we  recall  their  education  to 
vicious  and  filthy  habits,  we  cannot  be  surprised  that  they 
either  fill  our  prisons  or  furnish  a perpetual  supply  of  occu- 
pants of  our  alms-houses.  Shall  we  not,  in  this  manner,  fasten 
upon  ourselves  a class  of  hereditary  paupers  ?” 

The  Board  of  Public  Charities  for  the  State  of  Ohio,  in 
their  report  for  1869,  say : “ Heretofore,  the  Board  have  felt 
constrained  to  urge  the  care  of  the  infirmary  children  upon 
the  State.  The  statistics  for  the  past  year  are  such  as  to 


78 


REPORT  OK  PEKAL  AND 


bewilder  judgment  as  to  what  is  best,  as  promising  needful 
relief  to  this  class  of  dependents,  and  as  to  meeting  the  social 
and  moral  obligations  of  the  State.  There  is  an  aggregate  of 
947  children  in  the  several  infirmaries  in  the  counties.  These 
figures  suggest  a problem  to  the  solution  of  which  the  State 
may  well  devote  its  utmost  wisdom.  Nearly  one  thousand 
children  in  the  poor-houses  of  Ohio ! What  is  to  be  done 
with  them  ? Think  of  their  surroundings.  The  raving  of 
the  maniac,  the  frightful  contortions  of  the  epileptic,  the 
driveling  and  senseless  sputtering  of  the  idiot,  the  garrulous 
temper  of  the  decrepid,  neglected  old  age,  the  peevishness  of 
the  infirm,  the  accumulated  filth  of  all  these ; then  add  the 
moral  degeneracy  of  such  as,  from  idleness  or  dissipation, 
seek  a refuge  from  honest  toil  in  the  tithed  industry  of  the 
county,  and  you  have  a faint  outline  of  the  surroundings  of 
these  little  hoys  and  girls.  This  is  home  to  them.  Here 
their  first  and  most  enduring  impressions  of  life  are  formed. 
If  it  be  sad  to  think  of  a thousand  little  boys  and  girls,  all 
more  or  less  intelligent,  many  of  them  bright  and  beautiful, 
in  such  homes  as  these,  how  deeply  must  every  human  sym- 
pathy be  touched  with  the  reflection,  that  to  these  little  chil- 
dren the  poor-house  is  4 all  the  world.’” 

We  have  nowr  in  the  county  poor-houses  in  this  State,  212 
children  under  sixteen  years  of  age, — not  including  nine  of  the 
smaller  counties  which  wrere  not  visited.  It  is  the  earnest 
conviction  of  all  the  members  of  this  Commission,  that  these 
children  should  be  taken  from  the  county  poor-houses  and 
made  the  wrards  of  the  State,  and  that  they  should  be  inden- 
tured out  in  families,  or  placed  in  orphan  asylums,  or  in  a 
school  provided  by  the  State,  like  the  State  primary  school  at 
Munson,  Mass. 

It  wrould  be  v ise  for  the  State  to  encourage  the  establishment 
of  private  orphan  asylums,  by  placing  therein  as  many  of  these 
children  as  the  officers  of  such  institutions  are  willing  to 
receive,  and  allowing  them  an  amount  for  their  maintenance 
which  wrould  be  equal  to  the  expense  of  keeping  them  in  the 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


79 


alms-houses  or  primary  school.  In  this  way  they  would  he 
reared  and  trained  in  virtuous  ways,  and  at  the  proper  age 
placed  in  private  families,  and  thus  very  likely  become  good 
and  useful  members  of  society. 

But  if  our  poor-houses  can  not  be  relieved  of  their  children 
by  a regular  system  of  placing  them  in  families,  or  by  their 
admission  into  orphan  asylums,  we  would  advise  the  estab- 
lishment of  a State  primary  school,  where  the  children,  until 
they  could  be  indentured  or  adopted  in  families,  could  be  edu- 
cated morally  and  mentally,  and  also  taught  habits  of 
industry. 

But  we  would  express  our  conviction  that  institutional  life 
should  he  avoided  as  much  as  possible,  as  we  consider  the  rear- 
ing and  training  in  families  as  more  natural  and  far  superior 
in  all  respects,  while  we  would  also  strongly  urge  the  necessity 
of  supervision  of  indentured  or  adopted  children  by  some  com- 
petent officer,  wdio  shall  frequently  visit  them,  and  ascertain 
if  the  child  is  well  cared  for  and  the  conditions  of  the  inden- 
ture are  being  fulfilled. 

With  some  such  arrangement  we  are  fully  satisfied  that 
judicious  and  humane  persons  would  generally  concur,  and  we 
firmly  believe  that  thereby  many  children,  who  would  other- 
wise become  confirmed  paupers  and  criminals,  and  permanent 
fixtures  in  alms-houses  and  prisons,  would  grow  up  to  be  useful 
citizens  and  an  honor  to  the  State. 

There  is  a class  of  children  in  all  communities,  who  are  not 
paupers  or  criminals,  but  who  should  be  protected  and  trained 
by  the  State.  These  are  the  children  of  parents  who  neglect 
their  offspring,  either  because  they  are  vicious  or  indifferent, — 
children  who  swarm  the  streets,  prowl  about  docks  and 
wharves,  and  are  almost  sure  to  take  up  crime  as  a trade, 
orphans  who  have  no  one  to  provide  or  care  for  them,  and  all 
vagrant  and  abandoned  children.  All  such  should  be  gathered 
into  schools,  where  they  would  receive  that  mental,  moral,  and 
industrial  training,  which  their  own  homes  or  circumstances 


80 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


would  never  afford  them,  and  from  which  they  might  at  length 
be  sent  out  to  good  situations  in  the  country  or  elsewhere, 
where  they  would  grow  into  virtuous  and  useful  citizens,  add- 
ing to,  instead  of  preying  upon  the  productive  industry  of  the 
State. 

The  schools  established  for  pauper  children  could  also  be 
used  for  this  class  of  children,  as  their  treatment  should  be 
substantially  the  same. 

Dissolute  Paupers. 

All  persons  reduced  to  pauperism  by  drunkenness,  prostitu- 
tion, idleness,  or  any  vicious  habit,  and  all  common  beggars 
and  vagrants  are  entitled  to  no  indulgence,  and  should  be 
treated  as  offenders  against  the  well-being  of  society.  They 
are  the  worst  class  of  paupers  with  which  the  authorities  have 
to  deal.  For  them,  labor  is  the  proper  remedy.  If  all  such 
persons  were  sent  to  a wrork-house,  where,  under  the  discipline  of 
hard  labor  and  other  reformatory  agencies,  they  could  be  made 
to  earn  their  living,  the  State  wrould  soon  get  rid  of  the  expense 
of  supporting  large  numbers  of  this  class,  and  our  alms- 
houses would  be  relieved  of  a great  nuisance.  It  is  wTell  known 
that  many  of  our  poor-houses,  especially  those  near  the  large 
towns  and  cities,  have  a considerable  population  of  these  dis- 
solute paupers,  particularly  prostitutes  and  licentious  persons, 
who  have  become  diseased  and  flock  to  the  alms-houses  to  get 
cured  and  recruit.  The  Wayne  county  poor-house  was  at  one 
time,  we  understand,  quite  noted  for  being  a very  good  venereal 
hospital. 

The  experiment  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts  in  treating 
all  this  class  of  State  paupers  as  criminals,  and  sentencing 
them  from  six  months  to  three  years  to  the  work-house  at 
Bridgewater,  has  been  attended  with  very  beneficial  results. 
This  course  has  lessened  their  numbers  very  materially  during 
the  short  time  it  has  been  in  operation.  The  Board  of  State 
Charities  for  that  State  say  in  their  report:  “Much  of  the 
good  wrought  by  the  wrork -house  is  due  to  the  long  sentences  of 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


81 


a majority  of  the  inmates.  In  this  respect  the  institution  is 
most  strongly  contrasted  with  the  jails  and  houses  of  correc- 
tion, which  in  other  points  it  resembles.  This  adds  to  its 
power  as  a deterrent  from  vicious  practices,  and  is  indispen- 
sable to  the  task  of  breaking  up  idle  and  dissolute  habits  of 
life.” 

The  master  of  this  work-house  says:  “The  object  of  con- 
tinuing them”  (the  convicts)  “here  is  not  only  to  protect  the 
community  against  their  criminal  inclinations,  but  to  restore 
them , if  possible , to  respectability.  * * * Con- 

stant employment  is  given  to  all  that  are  able  to  labor,  which 
is  the  lever  by  which  we  expect  to  raise  them  from  the  slough 
into  which  their  former  idle  and  vicious  habits  have  cast  them  ; 
hence  the  necessity  of  the  course  pursued  by  the  committing 
magistrate  in  awarding  to  some  of  them  longer  sentences  than 
is  practiced  in  the  criminal  courts  of  the  commonwealth.” 

There  would  be  no  injustice  to  this  class  of  paupers  by  thus 
treating  them,  for  if  properly  managed  in  work-houses,  they 
would  all  have  an  opportunity  for  reformation,  and  in  many 
cases  their  bad  habits  would  be  cured,  and  their  evil  propen- 
sities controlled,  if  they  were  “ sent  up  ” on  sufficiently  long 
sentences.  Indeed,  the  work-house  should  be  a reformatory ; 
and  hard  labor , with  education,  moral  and  mental,  should  be 
the  great  means  of  reformation.  At  the  same  time  this  system 
would  be  better  than  the  presept  one,  on  economical  grounds, 
for  nowr  they  are  generally  kept  in  idleness,  and  they  are  grow- 
ing constantly  more  depraved,  and  this  does  not  lessen,  but 
increases  the  numbers  who  are  living  upon  the  tithed  industry 
of  the  country ; whereas,  by  the  adoption  of  this  system,  they 
would  be  compelled  to  earn  a portion  of  their  maintenance, 
perhaps  the  whole,  and  their  numbers  would  be  constantly 
diminishing  through  the  reformatory  influences  of  the  work- 
house,.  and  the  deterring  effect  upon  all  that  class  of  idle  and 
vicious  persons. 

The  amount  earned  by  pauper  labor  in  the  poor-houses 
11 


82 


KEPOKT  ON  PENAL  AND 


and  on  county  farms,  is  very  small.  IS'o  thorough  or  system- 
atic effort  is  made  in  that  direction.  The  keepers  are  not- 
always  the  most  efficient  men ; and  from  the  uncertainty  of 
the  time  they  may  hold  their  positions,  they  are  too  often 
inclined  to  get  along  without  much  effort  at  improvement  in 
the  discipline  or  management  of  the  institution. 

The  amount  of  salary  paid, — which  is  generally  from  $400 
to  $700  a year  for  a man  and  his  wife, — pre-supposes  no  very 
efficient  executive  ability  or  superior  talent.  If  all  the  class 
of  paupers  now  under  consideration  (which  would  comprise 
the  largest  number  in  our  alms-houses  who  are  able  to  labor), 
were  congregated  in  institutions  containing  from  three  to  five 
hundred  each,  it  could  then  be  afforded  to  place  over  them 
efficient  and  competent  officers,  who  would  make  their  labor 
available  and  profitable.  In  every  view  of  the  case,  it  would 
seem  much  better  that  this  class  should  be  under  separate 
control,  and  subjected  to  rigid  treatment.  They  should  not 
associate  with  other  paupers,  on  account  of  their  vile  conduct 
and  evil  influences.  They  should  be  made  to  labor  and  earn 
their  own  living,  they  should  be  under  reformatory  influences, 
and  all  persons  should  be  made  to  know  that  if  they  too 
squander  their  means  through  idleness,  drunkenness,  or  vicious 
courses,  and  become  reduced  to  pauperism  thereb^q  they  will 
have  to  pay  the  penalty  by  hard  labor  and  deprivation  of  their 
liberty. 

We  have  sot  forth  good  reasons,  we  think,  which  could  bo 
supported  by  eminent  authority,  why  a large  number  of  the 
inmates  of  the  county  poor-house  should  be  under  different 
control  and  management.  The  difficulties  in  the  way  of 
successful  management  under  the  present  system  have  been 
pointed  out,  all  arising  from  want  of  proper  classification  and 
judicious  treatment  of  the  different  classes. 

The  small  number  in  each  of  the  county  poor-houses  makes 
it  impracticable  that  such  classification  should  be  made,  and 
induces  the  employment  of  incompetent  officers  on  small  x 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS, 


83 


salaries.  We  have  aimed  to  show  that  the  insane,  the  idiots, 
the  children,  and  the  disolute  paupers  can  only  be  treated 
scientifically,  humanely,  and  economically,  by  congregating 
much  larger  numbers  of  each  class  together  than  can  be  found 
even  in  our  largest  counties,  and  that  this  can  only  be  done, 
and  any  attempt  at  classification  be  made,  by  the  State  assum- 
ing their  control  and  treating  them  in  State  or  district 
institutions. 

If  the  State  shall  assume  the  care  of  these  four  classes,  then 
there  will  remain  in  the  care  of  the  counties, 

The  Aged , the  Infirm , and  the  Diseased. 

This  class  requires  kind  and  humane  treatment,  under  the 
direction  of  a competent  medical  officer.  The  medical  care 
and  treatment  of  diseased  paupers,  as  we  have  before  stated, 
is,  generally,  notoriously  bad,  and  we  fear  that  it  always  will  be 
under  the  present  system.  If  the  State  would  assume  the 
control  of  this  class,  and  place  them  in  two  or  three  district 
hospitals,  or  more  when  the  numbers  become  sufficiently 
large,  they  could  be  kindly  and  humanely  cared  for,  and  have 
thorough  and  scientific  treatment,  with  as  little  or  less  expense 
than  that  which  attends  their  present  management.  In  this 
way  homes  could  be  given  to  the  aged  and  infirm  in  distinct 
wards  of  the  hospital.  The  epileptics  could  be  placed  in  a 
separate  ward  or  hospital,  and  other  diseased  persons  could  bo 
classified,  and  their  wants  judiciously  attended  to,  as  well  as 
humanely  and  economically. 

Whenever  such  hospital  could  be  located  near  some  medical 
college,  satisfactory  arrangements,  no  doubt,  could  be  made 
with  such  institution  for  the  medical  care  and  treatment  of  the 
inmates. 

Let  the  State  take  this  whole  subject  of  congregating 
pauperism  under  its  own  control,  and  establish  State  or 
district  institutions  for  the  care  and  treatment  of  the  different 
classes  of  paupers,  and  we  are  fully  satisfied  that,  with  a 


84 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


system  judiciously  arranged,  pauperism  would  be  reduced,  the 
different  classes  would  be  more  humanely  and  properly  treated, 
and  the  whole  matter  would  be  more  wisely  and  economically 
administered.  Let  this  be  done,  and  then  the  insane  would  be 
scientifically  treated,  the  idiots  would  be  educated  aud  taught 
to  labor,  the  children  would  be  brought  up  in  wisdom  and 
virtue,  the  idlers,  vagrants,  beggars,  drunkards,  prostitutes, 
and  the  whole  class  of  dissolute  paupers  would  be  taught  by  a 
terrible  Necessity,  that  industry  and  orderly  conduct  are  better 
for  them  and  for  society,  and  the  aged  and  infirm,  and  unfor- 
tunate but  worthy  poor,  would  find  a home  undisturbed  by  the 
raving  of  the  maniac,  the  drivelings  of  the  idiot,  or  the  lewd, 
blasphemous  talk  of  the  drunkard  and  prostitute. 

The  amount  now  invested  or  to  be  invested  in  the  different 
county  farms  and  county  poor-houses  would  probably  be  suffi- 
cient to  establish  the  different  State  or  District  institutions. 
The  aggregate  amount  paid  to  physicians  and  keepers  would,  if 
applied  to  the  less  number  of  officers  required  under  such 
proposed  system,  go  largely  toward  paying  the  salaries  of  edu- 
cated and  competent  men,  who  should  be  placed  at  the  head 
of  these  institutions,  as  well  as  the  salaries  of  subordinates.  It 
would  seem  very  clear  that  from  three  hundred  to  five  hun- 
dred of  any  class  so  managed  as  to  make  their  labor  profitable, 
and  having  their  supplies  of  food  and  clothing  judiciously  pur- 
chased in  large  quantities,  could  be  more  economically  kept 
than  when  the  number  is  small.  One  thing  is  certain  in  regard 
to  all  public  institutions,  namely:  that  very  small  ones  are  usu- 
ally badly  managed,  and  are  not  economical,  and  the  same  may 
be  said  of  very  large  ones.  From  three  hundred  to  five  hundred 
is  the  number  that,  in  the  opinion  of  the  members  of  this 
Commission,  would  be  most  likely  to  be  wisely  managed  and 
economically  administered;  and  that  number  should  be  of  one 
class  or  kind,  as  near  as  practicable. 

An  objection  may  be  raised  against  the  State  or  District 
system  for  the  care  of  paupers,  that  it  would  be  expensive  and 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


85 


inconvenient  to  transfer  them  from  different  parts ; but  we 
should  remember  that  our  State  is  now  extensively  traversed 
by  railroads,  and  will  soon  be  more  so,  and  that  the  present 
system  was  established  when  it  was  more  expensive  and  trouble- 
some to  travel  across  a county,  than  it  now  is  to  travel  half 
across  the  State.  Then,  too,  as  the  State  increases  in  popula- 
tion, and  more  of  these  institution  shall  be  required  and 
erected  in  different  localities,  there  will  be  no  serious  difficulty 
from  the  want  of  proximity  of  any  part  of  the  State  to  such 
an  institution. 

We  deem  it  very  important,  and  believe  it  is  strongly  urged 
by  all  who  have  made  the  subject  of  pauperism  a study,  and 
by  all  practical  men  who  have  had  large  experience  in  the  care 
and  management  of  paupers,  that  only  'permanent  paupers,  or 
such  as  will  be  likely  to  be  a public  charge  for  a long  time, 
should  be  placed  in  institutions. 

Our  own  laws  recognize  this  principle,  in  saying  that  the 
superintendent  of  the  poor  shall  commit  to  the  poor-house 
permanent  paupers,  but  there  is  a great  diversity  in  the  admin- 
istration of  this  statute.  Some  superintendents  of  the  poor 
try  to  get  all  they  can  into  the  poor-house,  while  others,  more 
wisely  we  think,  try  i o keep  out  all  they  can,  and,  if  possible, 
relieve  the  wants  of  the  needy  at  their  own  homes. 

We  consider  the  question,  who  should  be  put  in,  and  who 
kept  out  of  the  alms-houses,  a very  important  one.  Its  cor- 
rect understanding  lies  at  the  foundation  of  a successful 
administration  and  management  of  pauperism.  We  say, 
emphatically,  keep  as  many  out  of  our  penal,  reformatory,  and 
charitable  institutions  as  it  is  possible  in  conformity  with  the 
ends  of  justice  and  humanity.  These  institutions  are  the 
excretion  of  a diseased  body  politic,  and  abnormal  humanity. 
They  exist  only  as  a necessity,  arising  from  the  evils  of  our 
social  organism  and  the  moral  depravity  of  iddividuals.  If 
we  can  correct  the  errors  of  our  laws,  the  evils  of  society,  and 
the  depravity  of  man,  we  shall  have  no  need  of  them. 


86 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


Man  exists  in  his  most  natural  and  normal  condition  in  the 
family,  hence,  when  it  is  possible,  we  should  keep  him  there. 
In  all  the  administration  of  public  affairs,  the  family  relation 
should  be  kept  intact,  when  consistent  with  the  ends  of  justice 
and  humanity ; and  both  justice  and  humanity  should  be  far- 
reaching  in  their  application  to  society,  and  to  the  persons  who 
oome  under  the  power  and  control  of  the  government. 
Temporary  benefits  to  the  State  should  be  lost  sight  of,  and 
only  that  course  should  be  pursued  that  will  accomplish  the 
greatest  permanent  good  to  society.  “All  institutional  life  is 
unnatural,”  and  hence  its  tendency  is  not  in  the  highest  degree 
purifying  and  elevating  to  the  individual.  If  the  poor  can  be 
relieved  at  home,  or  in  families,  without  a great  burden  to  the 
State,  it  should  always  be  done,  for  whatever  elevates  individ- 
uals is  better  for  the  mass. 

The  best  system  for  accomplishing  a successful  application 
of  out-door  relief  in  our  State  can  best  be  determined  by  the 
wisdom  of  the  Legislature.  If  the  State  shall  assume  the  con- 
control  of  all  the  alms-houses,  the  present  system  of  county 
superintendents  of  - the  poor,  or  something  equal  to  it,  must 
still  be  continued,  as  each  county  will  probably  be  required  to 
bear  its  burden  of  the  support  of  its  own  paupers,  whether 
under  county  or  State  control,  and  these  officers  will  be  just  as 
necessary  under  the  one  system  as  the  other.  If  temporary  or 
out-door  relief  be  increased,  and  made  more  general  in  its 
application,  perhaps  these  officers  would  be  as  competent  to 
accomplish  that  result  as  any  others. 

Any  system  that  favors  out-door  relief  should  be  encour- 
aged, and  the  fact  that  the  system  of  State  or  District  institu- 
tions would  have  a tendency  in  that  direction,  is  a very  strong 
circumstance  in  its  favor. 

The  first  admission  to  an  alms-house  generally  destroys  self- 
respect  and  ambition.  Once  there,  the  inmate  soon  learns  to 
be  a pauper.  It  is  a notorious  fact,  that  very  many  paupers 
leave  the  alms-houses  in  the  spring  and  roam  about  the  coun- 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


87 


try  during  the  warm  "weather,  getting  their  living  in  various 
ways,  to  return,  when  frosts  and  cold  weather  make  them 
uncomfortable,  to  their  home — the  poor-house.  Others  return 
to  their  accustomed  employments  when  discharged  from  the 
alms-house,  but  having  learned  no  wisdom  from  their  life  of 
dependence,  but  having  lost  their  pride  and  ambition  and 
become  depraved  bv  evil  associations,  they  spend  their  earnings 
foolishly,  knowing  that  when  their  means  are  gone  they  can 
return  to  their  home — the  poor-house. 

A small  weekly  allowance  made  to  many  of  those  needing 
aid,  with  a little  encouragement  kindly  given,  would  carry 
them  over  the  difficult  place,  and  be  much  better  for  them 
than  consignment  to  the  poor-house,  and  more  economical  in 
the  end  to  the  State.  Especially  is  this  true  of  the  sick. 
Gen.  Isaac  Bell,  who  is  an  active  and  efficient  member  of  the 
Board  of  Commissioners  of  Public  Charities  and  Correction 
of  the  city  of  New  York,  says:  “By  all  means  possible  keep 
your  paupers  out  of  the  alms-houses.  I would  rather  give  ten 
dollars  to  a needy  person  out  of,  than  to  give  one  dollar  to  a 
pauper  in  the  alms-house .” 

This  principle  governs,  we  understand,  the  administration 
of  the  pauper  system  in  that  city,  and  no  better  success  that 
we  know  of  is  obtained  anywhere. 

We  may  take  the  institutions  of  this  class  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  with  the  population  nearly  equal  to  that  of  Michigan,  as 
an  example  of  what  can  be  done  by  judicious  classification 
and  the  treatment  of  large  numbers  of  each  class  in  separate 
institutions,  and  by  a well-managed  system  of  out-door  relief. 
On  the  islands  in  East  River  they  have  their  asylums  for  the 
blind,  the  insane,  the  idiots  and  inebriates,  separate  hospitals 
for  small-pox,  fever,  paralysis,  epilepsy,  incurables,  and  for 
infants,  work-house  and  penitentiary,  etc.  All  these  institu- 
tions are  kept  in  the  most  scrupulously  neat  and  orderly 
manner.  All  that,  science,  skill,  and  care  can  do  for  the 
diseased  is  there  done,  while  justice  is  meted  out  in  the  work- 


88 


REPORT  OK  PENAL  AND 


house  to  idlers,  vagrants,  drunkards,  and  all  that  class  of 
offenders. 

They  have  also  there  a House  of  Refuge  for  juvenile 
delinquents,  which  is  a model  of  excellence  in  all  respects. 
Their  system  of  out-door  relief  is  efficient  and  comprehensive. 
In  this  department  during  the  last  year  17,050  patients  have 
been  treated,  and  70,653  prescriptions  administered,  and  fuel, 
food,  and  other  necessaries  have  also  been  furnished  them. 
And  this  in  the  corrupt  city ! 

It  would  be  just  as  easy  for  a State  to  treat  its  paupers 
under  this  system  of  classification  as  it  is  for  a city,  if  it  were 
not  for  the  difficulty  of  transportation.  Steam  has  nearly 
annihilated  distance,  and,  as  heretofore  stated,  the  country  is 
fast  becoming  a net-work  of  railroads,  so  that  the  cost  and 
trouble  of  collecting  the  different  classes  together  would  be 
overbalanced  by  the  great  advantages  obtained.  We  look 
forward  with  hope  to  the  time  when  this  great  work  shall  be 
accomplished.  For  the  present  we  consider  our  groat  need  to 
be  one  State  asylum  for  our  pauper  insane,  where  they  shall 
be  humanely  cared  for  and  scientifically  treated;  one  institu- 
tion for  the  training  and  education  of  idiots,  where  learning 
to  work  shall  form  an  important  part  of  such  education ; one 
school  for  the  education  of  pauper,  truant,  and  vagrant 
children,  where  learning  to  be  useful,  and  not  paupers  and 
criminals,  will  be  the  certain  result.  When  these  are  estab- 
lished we  hope  there  will  soon  follow  two  or  three  district 
work-houses,  where  the  idlers,  vagrants,  drunkards,  prostitutes, 
licentious  persons,  etc.,  who  become  paupers  through  such 
courses,  may  be  sentenced  for  long  terms,  until  they  can  pay 
the  State  for  their  care  and  maintenance,  and  where  they  can 
be  subjected  to  reformatory  influences,  and  two  or  three 
district  hospitals  where  the  aged  and  infirm,  and  unfortunate 
but  worthy  poor  can  receive  that  kindness,  care,  and  medical 
treatment  that  the  present  system  cannot  give,  and  to  which 
all  such  persons  are  fairly  entitled  under  good  and  humane 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


89 


government.  These  institutions  should  be  under  State  con- 
trol, with  a well  organized  system  of  out-door  relief  in  every 
ward  and  township,  and  the  whole  system  of  charitable, 
reformatory,  and  penal  administration  should  be  under  the 
supervision  and  control  of  a board  of  officers. 

CENTRAL  SUPERVISION. 

Whether  the  present  prison  and  pauper  system  be  continued, 
or  whether  they  be  changed  in  accordance  with  the  foregoing 
recommendations,  or  otherwise,  we  deem  it  a matter  of  the 
utmost  importance  that  the  administration  of  these  systems 
be  more  perfectly  supervised  than  they  now  are.  The  local 
supervision  of  both  alms-houses  and  prisons  has  utterly  failed 
to  secure  a good  administration  of  these  institutions,  or  to 
protect  them  from  great  abuses,  or  to  expose  such  abuses 
where  they  exist.  The  character  of  the  class  of  persons  usu- 
ally found  in  such  institutions  subjects  them  both  to  neglect 
and  abuse.  They  are  for  the  most  part  unworthy  and  uninter- 
esting, and  are  deemed  to  have  very  slender  claims  upon  our 
sympathy  or  support  beyond  that  of  protecting  them  from 
starvation  and  great  cruelty.  While  most  of  us  get  readily 
interested  in  individual  cases  of  suffering  from  poverty,  and 
even  of  suffering  resulting  from  crime,  ive  very  naturally 
shrink  with  disgust  and  dislike  both  from  paupers  and  crimi- 
mals  as  classes,  and  sometimes  we  forget  that  they  are  our 
brethren,  and  are  to  be  pitied  and  cared  for,  to  be  punished 
only  when  necessary,  and  to  be  saved  if  possible ; and  those 
who  have  the  care  of  these  classes  are  not  usually  chosen  with 
reference  to  their  peculiar  fitness  for  the  position,  but  with 
reference  to  economical  or  political  considerations,  and  they 
very  naturally  become  somewhat  indifferent  to  the  welfare  of 
those  under  their  charge,  and  are  apt  to  perform  their  duties 
toward  them  in  a perfunctory  manner. 

There  is  great  need  of  a careful,  constant,  and  intelligent 
supervision  by  some  persons  or  board  possessed  of  sufficient 
12 


90 


REPORT  OK  PEKAL  AKD 


authority  to  make  that  supervision  effectual  for  good;  a super- 
vision that  shall  extend  to  all  institutions  of  the  same  class  in 
the  State,  so  that  the  entire  system  shall  be  a uniform  and 
harmonious  whole. 

We  have  come  to  this  clear  and  strong  conviction,  not 
merely  as  the  result  of  our  own  examination,  observation,  and 
reflection,  but  after  carefully  ascertaining,  by  personal  inter- 
course, by  correspondence,  and  by  extensive  reading,  the  views 
of  the  leading  men  of  the  country,  both  practical  and  theoret- 
ical, who  have  made  this  subject  one  of  study  and  experience. 

This  central  supervision,  especially  of  prisons,  has  received 
the  fullest  consideration  from  the  highest  authority,  and  we 
take  the  liberty  of  quoting  fully  some  of  the  views  which  have 
been  expressed  upon  it. 

No  higher  authority  can  be  quoted  than  the  Prison  Associa- 
tion of  New  York.  It  classes  among  its  active  officers  some 
of  the  very  ablest  and  best  men  of  the  State,  and  its  Corre- 
sponding Secretary,  Rev.  Dr.  Wines,  has  gained  a world-wide 
reputation  by  his  intelligent  and  successful  labors  in  the  cause 
of  prison  discipline.  In  their  Twenty-fourth  Annual  Report, 
in  reference  to  the  prison  system  it  is  said:  “In  any  compre- 
hensive re-organization  of  this  service  in  our  State,  we  consider 
a central  authority,  having  at  least  general  powers  of  super- 
vision, absolutely  essential.  At  present,  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciple of  all  government,  a responsible  but  supreme  authority, 
is  wanting  in  relation  to  our  prisons;  hundreds  of  persons,  if 
we  include  county  boards  of  supervisors,  having  a direct  power 
in  their  administration.  The  single  fact  affords  an  ample 
explanation  of  the  slow  progress  which  has  been  made  in  general 
improvement.  The  select  committee  of  1850,  on  prison  disci- 
pline, in  the  British  Parliament,  took  no  wiser  action  than 
that  of  adopting  a resolution  with  a view  to  securing  uniform- 
ity in  prison  construction  and  management,  to  the  effect  that 
it  is  desirable  that  the  Legislature  should  intrust  increased 
power  to  some  central  authority.”  Without  some  such  author- 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


91 


ity,  ready  at  all  times  for  deliberation  and  action,  there  can  be 
no  consistent  and  homogeneous  system  of  administration,  no 
well-directed  experiments,  no  careful  deductions,  no  establish- 
ment of  broad  principles  of  prison  discipline,  nor  any  skillfully 
devised  plan  for  carrying  such  principles  into  effect.  But  if 
the  construction  arid  management  of  all  our  prisons  were  en- 
trusted to  a central  board  or  bureau,  improvements  of  every 
kind  could  readily  be  introduced,  and  that,  too,  in  the  safest 
manner,  by  first  trying  the  plan  proposed  on  a small  scale  and 
under  the  best  circumstances  for  insuring  trustworthy  results, 
and  then,  if  successful,  gradually,  under  the  guidance  of  expe- 
rience, extending  the  sphere  of  its  operations.  It  is  material 
to  remark,  though  the  observation  would  naturally  occur  to 
'reflecting  minds,  that  a supreme  authority,  like  that  here  pro- 
posed, is  quite  compatible  with  local  boards  acting  under  its 
direction. 

But  with  or  without  local  boards,  a general  board  properly 
constituted  and  empowered  could  find  little  difficulty  in  man- 
aging efficiently  and  superintending  the  whole  system.  We 
ardently  hope  to  see  all  the  departments  of  our  preventive,, 
reformatory  and  punitive  institutions  moulded  into  one  har- 
monious and  effective  system,  its  parts  mutually  answering  to, 
and  sustaining  each  other ; the  whole  animated  by  the  same 
spirit,  aiming  at  the  same  objects,  and  subject  to  the  same  con- 
trol, yet  without  the  less  of  the  advantages  of  voluntary  aid 
and  effort  when  they  are  attainable. 

The  excellent  results  of  such  a system  are  attested  by  expe- 
rience. A central  board  of  prison  managers  was  created  in 
Canada  some  eight  cr  ten  years  ago,  and  the  good  effects  are 
seen  in  every  department  of  the  administration.  Prison  archi- 
tecture and  prison  discipline  have  gained  immensely criminal 
statistics  of  the  highest  value  are  annually  collected  and  pub- 
lished to  the  world,  and  the  cost  of  the  county  prisons  has 
been  reduced  to  an  extent  which  would  hardly  be  credited. 
To  give  a single  instance  of  this  reduction,  the  annual  cost  of 
rations  for  each  prisoner  in  the  common  jails  has  been  brought 


92 


REPORT  OK  PEKAL  AND 


down  from  $89  25  to  $32  85,  a saving  iu  this  item  of  nearly 
two-thirds. 

The  experience  in  France  is  equally  decisive.  In  1856,  the 
state  took  charge  of  all  the  prisons  of  the  country.  The 
result  has  been  the  correction  of  the  grossest  abuses  in  every 
department  of  the  administration,  the  introduction  of  excel- 
lent and  cheap  supplies  into  the  prisons,  reduction  of  expenses 
by  at  least  one-third,  and  an  almost  incredible  augmentation 
of  the  product  of  prison  labor. 

The  annual  product  of  such  labor  increased  in  eight  years 
(so  says  the  Philade’phia  Journal  of  Prison  Discipline  and 
Philanthropy)  in  all  the  Departments,  wiih  the  exception  of 
that  of  Paris,  from  14,446  francs  to  900,000  francs,  an  increase 
of  more  than  6,000  per  cent. 

In  the  twenty-fifth  report  they  re-affirm  the  same  views, 
and  say:  “As  the  principle  that  crowns  all,  and  is  essential  to 
all,  it  is  now  commonly  felt  and  acknowledged,  that  no  prison 
system  for  a State  or  country  can  be  perfect,  can  even  be  suc- 
cessful to  the  broadest  and  most  desirable  extent,  without  some 
central  authority  that  sits  at  the  helm,  guiding,  controlling, 
harmonizing,  unifying,  vitalizing  the  whole.” 

The  Board  of  State  Charities  for  Massachusetts  for  1868 
say : “ The  most  important  matter  connected  with  our  prisons 
is  to  have  the  whole  of  them,  from  lock-up  to  State  Prison, 
brought  under  the  inspection  and  supervision  of  a Central 
Board,  with  one  Inspector  General.  By  discontinuing  the 
salaries  of  local  inspectors,  enough  would  be  saved  to  pay  the 
salary  of  a competent  officer,  who  should  give  his  whole  time 
to  the  work.” 

They  renew  the  recommendation  the  following  year,  and 
say : “ The  experience  of  another  year  shows  still  more  strongly 
the  necessity  of  inspection  and  supervision,  and  of  an  efficient 
Inspector  General,  and  the  Board  renews  its  recommendation 
of  last  year,  that  such  an  office  be  established.” 

Some  progress  has  already  been  made  in  carrying  these  views 
into  effect  through  boards  formed  in  different  States,  although 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


93 


Legislatures  have  been  slow  in  clothing  these  boards  with  the 
requisite  power  to  enable  them  to  accomplish  all  the  good  that 
might  be  accomplished. 

In  Massachusetts  a Board  of  State  Charities  was  established 
in  1863,  under  an  act  of  the  Legislature  of  that  year. 

II  consists  of  five  persons  appointed  by  the  Governor  and 
Council,  who  receive  no  compensation  except  for  expenses,  and 
a secretary  and  agent,  who  both  receive  salaries.  One  of  the 
five  members  of  the  board  is  appointed  each  year. 

The  duties  of  the  board  are  “ to  investigate  and  supervise 
the  whole  system  of  the  public  charitable  and  correctional 
institutions  of  the  commonwealth,”  and  to  recommend  such 
improvements  as  they  deem  necessary.  They  can  remove 
paupers  and  lunatics  from  one  institution  to  another.  The 
agent  is  to  transact  the  “ out-door  business”  of  the  board,  and 
to  perform  various  duties  with  reference  to  paupers,  lunatics, 
emigrants,  etc. 

The  secretary,  besides  keeping  the  records,  is* to  collect  sta- 
tistics and  to  “ prepare  a series  of  interrogatories  to  the  several 
institutions  of  charity,  reform,  and  correction,  supported 
wholly  or  in  part  by  the  Commonwealth,  or  the  several  coun- 
ties thereof,  with  a view  to  illustrate,  in  his  annual  report,  the 
causes  and  best  treatment  of  pauperism,  crime,  disease,  and 
insanity.  He  shall  also  arrange  and  publish  in  his  report  all 
desirable  information  concerning  the  industrial  and  material 
interests  of  the  Commonwealth  bearing  upon  these  subjects.” 

The  board  have  rooms  in  the  State  House,  hold  meetings  at 
least  monthly,  and  are  to  make  annual  reports  to  the  Legisla- 
ture. The  salaries  of  the  agent  and  secretary  were  at  first 
fixed  at  two  thousand  dollars  each,  but  have  been  increased  to 
three  thousand  dollars,  and  these  offices  have  been  filled  by 
men  of  marked  ability.  The  reports  of  the  board  are  of 
exceeding  value,  as  illustrating  the  causes  and  best  treatmont 
of  pauperism,  crime,  disease,  and  insanity,  “and  the  exposure 
and  reform  of  existing  abuses  and  defects  in  the  management 
of  charitable  and  correctional  institutions.” 


04 


HEPOUT  OX  PEXAL  AXD 


Ohio  in  1867  established  a Board  of  State  Charities,  consist- 
ing of  five  persons  appointed  by  the  Governor,  and  who  receive 
no  compensation  other  than  actual  traveling  expenses.  Their 
powers  are  very  similar  to  those  of  the  Massachusetts  board, 
except  that  until  the  present  year  they  have  had  no  salaried 
officers  to  aid  them.  This  want,  of  course,  greatly  crippled 
their  power  for  good,  but  this  defect  has  now  been  remedied, 
and  the  reports  already  made  have  thrown  great  light  upon 
the  condition  of  charitable  and  penal  institutions  in  that 
State,  and  their  labors  have  been  most  beneficial. 

The  constitution  of  New  York  formed  in  1867,  but  which 
wras  not  adopted,  contained  a clause  which  provided  for  a 
Board  of  Managers  of  Prisons  to  be  appointed  by  the  Gov- 
ernor, with  the  consent  of  the  Senate,  to  hold  office  for  ten 
years,  one  to  go  out  every  two  years.  They  were  to  have  the 
charge  of  State  Prisons,  and  to  perform  such  duties  in  respect 
to  other  prisons  as  should  be  provided  by  law.  They  were  to 
have  no  compensation  other  than  expenses,  and  were  to  appoint 
a secretary  whose  salary  was  to  be  fixed  by  laiv ; and  also  to 
appoint  the  warden,  clerk,  physician,  and  chaplain  of  each 
State  Prison,  and  to  remove  the  same  for  cause  only,  and  after 
an  opportunity  to  be  heard.  The  warden  was  to  appoint  and 
remove  at  pleasure  all  other  officers.  Such  a system  can  be 
established  in  New  York  only  by  an  amendment  to  the  con- 
stitution. The  Prison  Association,  in  urging  the  last  Legisla- 
ture to  submit  such  an  amendment  to  the  people,  give  as  a 
reason,  that  “ the  article  incorporated  into  the  rejected  consti- 
tution was  prepared  by  an  experienced  committee  after  long 
and  earnest  deliberation ; that  it  'was  unanimously  approved 
by  the  executive  committee  when  submitted  to  them ; that  it 
was  not  made  a party  question  by  the  convention  that  adopted 
it,  but  received  the  hearty  support  of  both  parties ; that  it  has 
the  sanction  of  the  present  Chief  Magistrate,  who  took  an 
active  part  in  framing  it;  that  it  was  approved  and  recom- 
mended by  the  Board  of  State  Prison  Inspectors  in  their  last 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


05 


annual  report;  that  it  has  the  prestige  of  the  votes  of  a pre- 
ponderating majority  of  one  of  the  most  enlightened  bodies 
ever  assembled  in  this  State;  that  it  promises  the  best  results 
for  prison  discipline  in  case  it  should  become  a part  of  the 
fundamental  law” 

The  State  of  Rhode  Island,  in  1867,  provided  for  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Board  of  State  Charities  and  Corrections,  con- 
sisting of  six  persons  appointed  by  the  Governor,  with  the 
advice  and  consent  of  the  Senate,  and  of  a secretary  appointed 
by  the  board.  The  secretary  alone  receives  a compensation. 
They  are  to  appoint  a Superintendent  of  State  Charities  and 
Corrections.  The  Board  “have  the  entire  charge  and  control 
of  said  work-houses,  asylums  for  the  incurable  insane,  house 
of  correction,  and  alms-houses,  and  may  appoint  such  assist- 
ants in  the  management  thereof  as  they  may  deem  necessary, 
and  shall  fix  their  compensation;  also  the  compensation  of 
the  secretary  and  superintendent,  and  may  make  all  rules  and 
regulations  for  the  government  of  all  of  said  institutions, 
including  ail  contracts  for  the  labor  of  said  institutions.” 

They  have  also  other  powers,  and  are  required  to  make  a 
report  annually. 

The  State  of  Illinois,  in  the  Siirne  year,  provided  for  a 
“Board  of  State  Commissioners  of  Public  Charities,”  con- 
sisting of  five  persons  appointed  by  the  Governor,  one  going 
out  each  year.  They  are  to  visit  all  charitable  or  correctional 
institutions,  “excepting  prisons  receiving  aid  from  the  State, 
to  examine  institutions,  the  conduct  of  trustees,  the  condition 
of  buildings,  and  to  ascertain:  1st.  Whether  moneys  have 
been  economically  and  judiciously  expended.  2d.  Whether 
the  objects  designed  are  accomplished.  3d.  Whether  the  laws 
have  been  complied  with.  4th.  Whether  all  parts  of  the  State 
are  equally  benefited,  and  to  report  in  writing  to  the  Gov- 
ernor, and  to  make  recommendations.”  They  are  also  to  inves- 
tigate abuses  when  directed  by  the  Governor,  and  to  examine 
poor-houses  at  least  once  in  each  year.  They  are  to  appoint 


96 


REPORT  OK  PEKAL  AND 


a clerk,  who  is  to  act  as  an  accountant,  but  the  members  of 
the  Board  receive  no  compensation.  The  Board  have 
appointed  as  secretary,  Rev.  F.  0.  Wines,  a gentleman  pre-emi- 
nently qualified  for  the  position,  and  who  is  already  making 
his  influence  felt  for  good.  He  is  paid,  we  understand,  a salary 
of  three  thousand  dollars  per  annum. 

A bill  was  introduced  into  the  last  Legislature  of  Indiana 
providing  for  a “Board  of  Managers  of  Prisons,”  which  we  are 
assured  was  received  with  great  favor,  and  would,  doubtless, 
have  become  a law,  except  for  the  fact  that  the  session  came  to 
a sudden  and  unexpected  termination  by  the  withdrawal  of  a 
portion  of  the  members.  The  bill  was  evidently  drawn  with 
great  and  intelligent  care,  and  as  it  possesses  some  peculiar 
features  that  may  be  suggestive,  we  give  an  abstract  of  some 
of  its  provisions: 

The  Board  was  to  consist  of  five  persons  appointed  by  the 
Governor,  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Senate,  one  to 
go  out  every  two  years,  subject  to  removal  by  the  Governor  for 
malfeasance  or  misfeasance  in  office.  They  were  to  receive  two 
hundred  dollars  a year  for  traveling  expenses,  and  no  other 
compensation.  They  were  to  have  the  charge  and  superintend- 
ence of  all  State  Prisons,  appoint  and  fix  the  salaries  of  the 
warden,  clerk,  physician,  and  chaplain,  and  have  the  power  of 
removal, — other  officers  being  appointed  by  the  warden,  but  to 
be  satisfactory  to  the  Board. 

They  were  to  appoint  a superintendent  of  prisons,  who  was 
to  be  their  secretary  and  executive  officer,  and,  with  the  con- 
sent of  the  Governor,  fix  his  salary.  They  were  to  conduct  all 
prisons  on  the  principles  of  reformation  and  not  of  vindictive 
justice,  and  prescribe  such  methods  of  discipline  and  govern- 
ment as  will,  as  far  as  possible,  reform  the  characters  and  pre- 
serve the  health  of  the  inmates,  and  secure  them  fixed  habits 
of  industry,  morality,  and  religion. 

There  were  to  be  no  officers  who  did  not  sustain  a good 
moral  character  and  abstain  from  the  use  of  intoxicating 
liquors  and  profane  language. 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


97 


Governor  Haight,  of  California,  in  his  annual  message* 
warmly  recommends  the  appointment  of  a Board  of  Commis- 
sioners to  have  the  supervision  of  the  State  Prison,  and  to 
appoint  the  warden,  the  Board  to  consist  of  five  in  number, 
one  to  go  out  every  two  years. 

There  are,  doubtless,  other  States  that  have  some  like  system 
of  central  supervision,  but  we  are  not  familiar  with  them. 

It  is  very  apparent  that  the  tendency,  both  of  opinion 
and  legislation,  is  in  the  direction  of  some  such  central  author- 
ity. Of  its  need  in  this  State  we  entertain  no  doubt,  and  we 
therefore  recommend  that  a “ Board  of  State  Charities  and 
Corrections”  be  formed,  to  consist  of  five  persons  to  be 
appointed  by  the  Governor,  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the 
Senate,  to  hold  office  for  the  term  of  ten  years,  but  so  arranged 
that  the  term  of  one  of  said  board  shall  expire  every  two  years, 
and  that  they  be  authorized  to  appoint  a secretary,  who  shall  be 
the  executive  officer  of  the  Board.  We  recommend  farther,  that 
this  Board  have  the  charge  and  supervision  of  all  the  prisons  and 
correctional  institutions,  alms-houses,  and  work-houses  under 
the  control  of  the  State,  and  that  it  be  made  their  duty  to  exam- 
ine the  condition  of  all  jails,  prisons,  correctional  institutions, 
almshouses,  and  work-houses  in  the  State,  and  report  thereon, 
and  that  they  be  further  charged  with  the  duty  of  collecting  facts 
and  statistics,  as  well  as  the  opinions  of  men  eminent  for  their 
acquaintance  "with  social  science,  writh  a view  to  illustrate  in 
their  annual  report  the  causes  and  the  best  treatment  of  crime, 
pauperism,  disease,  imbecility,  and  insanity.  We  recommend 
that  they  receive  no  compensation  other  than  their  actual 
expenses  incurred  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  their  office, 
but  that  they  be  authorized,  with  the  consent  of  the  Governor, 
to  fix  the  salary  of  their  secretary,  so  that  they  may  secure  the 
services  of  some  one  especially  Competent  to  fill  the  duties  of 
the  office.  This  officer  -would  be  the  executive  officer  of  the 
board  in  the  general  supervision  of  the  institutions  under  their 
charge,  and  upon  him  would  devolve  the  duty  of  collecting 
13 


08 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


facts  and  preparing  statistics  on  the  subjects  of  pauperism  and 
crime  in  our  own  State  and  elsewhere,  so  far  as  they  would 
throw  any  light  upon  the  subject  of  what  legislation  or  action 
is  required  here.  He  would  need  to  he  familiar,  and  to  keep 
himself  constantly  familiar,  with  the  improvements  and  experi- 
ments, whether  legislative  or  practical,  going  on  in  other 
States  and  countries  in  the  treatment  of  pauperism  and  crime 
and  the  actual  workings  thereof,  so  that  we  can  gain  wisdom 
from  the  experience  of  others,  rather  than  from  rash  and 
expensive  experiments  of  our  own. 

It  is  obvious  to  all  thoughtful  men,  that  it  is  not  easy  to 
find  a man  just  adapted  to  such  a position,  and  that  any  man 
who  could  fill  it  would  command  a liberal  remuneration  for 
his  time  in  other  departments  of  business,  and  the  power  of 
the  Board  to  accomplish  their  own  work  well  would  measur- 
ably depend  upon  their  being  at  liberty  to  employ  and  retain 
for  their  only  officer,  a man  fully  qualified  for  the  place,  in 
whose  capacity  and  executive  ability  they  could  implicitly 
confide. 

APPOINTMENT  OF  OFFICERS. 

Should  any  such  system  as  we  have  recommended  be 
adopted  by  the  Legislature,  or  any  material  modifications  of 
our  present  system  he  made,  a question  of  very  great  impor- 
tance will  have  to  he  determined,  viz.,  where  shall  be  placed 
the  power  of  appointing  the  superintendents,  wardens,  or 
other  chief  officers  of  these  institutions  for  the  treatment  of 
pauperism  and  crime  ? 

The  success  of  any  system  of  treating  these  great  subjects 
must  depend  very  largely  on  the  ability,  skill,  and  fidelity  with 
which  it  is  carried  out.  A good  system  will  fail  in  incompetent 
hands,  ancl  a poor  system  will  measurably  succeed  in  thor- 
oughly competent  ones.  The  peculiar  qualities  required  to 
fill  the  position  of  chief  officer  of  such  institutions  are  far 
more  rare  than  those  required  to  fill  many  higher  and  more 
responsible  ones,  aud  this  arises  from  the  combination  of  vari- 
ous qualities  essential  to  success  in  such  a position. 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


99 


Sucli  an  officer  should  be  familliar  with  the  various  methods, 
good,  bad,  and  indifferent,  of  managing  such  institutions,  and 
of  the  actual  workings  of  the  various  methods  and  their  prac- 
tical results,  and  have  the  sound  judgment  to  select  the  best, 
and  if  possible,  to  improve  upon  them.  He  should  be  an 
accurate,  skillful,  energetic  business  man,  with  a large  execu- 
tive capacity,  that  will  enable  him  to  carry  out  his  own  plans 
successfully  through  the  agency  of  others.  He  should  unite 
firmness  of  purpose  with  kindness  of  heart,  and  possess  the 
rare  power  of  knowing  how  to  deal  wisely  with  the  perverted 
moral  and  intellectual  forces,  and  lastly,  he  should  heartily 
love  the  work  which  he  undertakes,  and  devote  himself  in  the 
spirit  of  the  great  Master  to  the  highest  welfare  of  those  under 
his  charge,  and  be  astute,  ingenious,  and  assiduous  in  devising 
modes  to  educate  and  save  them. 

Whoever  has  the  appointing  power  should  be  so  interested 
in  the  workings  of  these  institutions,  so  familliar  with  their 
wants,  as  to  know  just  what  qualities  are  demanded  in  a chief 
officer,  and  should  be  left  at  liberty,  uncontrolled  and  uninflu- 
enced by  party,  political,  or  personal  considerations,  to  select 
the  right  man  wherever  he  may  be  found,  and  to  retain  him  as 
long  as  the  interest  he  had  in  charge  demanded  it. 

It  is  the  uniform  testimony  of  all  men  connected  with,  or 
interested  in  the  management  of  prisons  in  other  States,  that 
one  of  the  greatest  evils  connected  with  such  management  is 
the  influence  of  party  politics.  In  the  State  of  New  York  the 
Inspectors  of  State  Prisons  are  elected  by  the  people,  and  are 
consequently  politicians ; and  the  wardens  of  the  State  Pris- 
ons are  appointed  and  dismissed  upon  the  same  principle  that 
other  offices  in  the  gift  of  the  prevailing  party  for  the  time 
being  are  filled  and  vacated.  It  is  difficult  to  exagerate  the 
evils  that  have  resulted  from  this  course.  These  evils  have 
been  set  forth  very  fully  and  powerfully  in  reports  of  the  Prison 
Association,  and  good  men  of  all  parties  are  recommending  a 
change.  In  many  other  States,  the  evils  if  not  equally  great 
are  still  very  manifest. 


100 


REPORT  ON'  PENAL  AND 


Wisconsin  recently  lost  a most  capable  and  valuable  officer 
because  he  could  not  refute  the  only  charge  brought  against 
him,  that  he  had  held  the  office  six  years,  and  he  was  forced 
to  give  way  to  a new  man  in  obedience  to  the  doctrine  of 
“ rotation  in  office.” 

In  this  State  the  evils  resulting  from  this  cause  have  not  as 
yet  bean  seriously  felt.  The  paltry  salary  paid  to  the  Agent  of 
our  State  Prison  has  not  produced  a very  lively  competition 
for  the  place.  But  that  such  evils  will  creep  in,  as  our  system 
enlarges  to  meet  the  growing  necessities  of  our  State,  there  can 
be  no  doubt.  No  Governor,  whatever  might  be  his  personal 
views,  would  feel  himself  at  liberty  to  appoint  a person  of 
opposing  politics  to  such  an  office,  or  even  to  retain  one 
therein.  The  doctrine  that  “ to  the  victors  belong  the  spoils,” 
is  practically  adopted  by  all  the  political  parties,  and  no  one 
filling  a political  office  having  an  appointing  power  feels  at 
liberty  to  disregard  it.  He  is,  in  that  respect,  the  representa- 
tive of  the  party  electing  him,  and  must  carry  out  their  wishes. 
Not  only  must  the  appointee  be  of  the  same  political  faith, 
but,  in  general,  appointments  must  be  made  in  consideration 
either  of  past  or  future  services  to  the  party  in  power.  This 
would,  as  a rule,  exclude  the  appointing  power,  not  only  from 
going  outside  of  the  dominant  political  party,  and  of  the  State, 
but  from  going  outside  of  active  politicians  to  select  a man. 
This  may  be  very  well  so  far  as  officers  wielding  a political 
powder  are  concerned,  but  the  same  rule  ought  not  to  be  applied 
to  such  offices  as  those  which  we  are  considering.  They  are 
not  offices  of  political  trust  or  power,  but  they  are  offices 
requiring  peculiar  and  rare  qualities  to  fill  them  successfully. 
Important  pecuniary,  sanitary,  moral,  and  social  results  depend 
upon  the  manner  in  which  they  are  administered,  and  whoever 
has  the  appointing  power  should  have  all  parties  and  all  States 
from  which  to  make  the  selection.  Many  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful prison  officers  have  been  invited  to  come  from  other 
States  to  those  desiring  their  services.  Gen.  Pillsburv,  whose 
reputation  is  national,  was  drawn  to  New  York  from  Connec- 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


101 


ticut,  Mr.  Brockway,  of  the  Detroit  House  of  Correction,  was 
drawn  from  New'  York,  Mr.  Cordier  wras  drawn  from  Wiscon- 
sin to  the  charge  of  the  Western  Penitentiary  of  Pennsylvania, 
at  Pittsburg. 

These  are  but  a few  of  many  instances  where  one  State  lias, 
to  its  great  advantage,  availed  itself  of  the  experience  and 
ability  found  in  another. 

The  Central  Board  already  spoken  of  will  doubtless  be 
selected  without  reference  to  party  politics.  The  place  is  one 
of  duties  only,  and  not  of  honor  or  profit,  and  there  is  no 
obligation  to  fill  such  places  with  political  friends  merely. 
This  Board  w'ould  have  charge  of  the  institutions  referred  to, 
would  know  their  distinctive  "wants,  and  have  an  especial 
interest  in  the  appointment  of  men  as  chief  officers  wffio  are 
adapted  to  the  position.  They  would  be  in  a position  to  act 
with  entire  independence  in  the  selection  of  such  officers,  and 
so  to  exercise  their  best  judgment. 

We  therefore  respectfully  yet  earnestly  recommend  that  the 
power  of  appointing  the  chief  officers  of  the  several  State 
institutions  for  the  treatment  of  paupers  and  criminals,  be 
placed  in  such  Board ; such  power  of  appointment  to  extend 
to  the  superintendent  or  warden,  the  clerk,  the  physician, 
and  the  chaplain  where  there  is  one.  The  subordinate  officers 
wre  think,  should  be  appointed  by  the  chief  officer  of  each 
institution  and  be  under  his  control. 

For  much  the  same  reasons,  we  recommend  that  the  Board, 
together  with  the  Governor,  fix  the  salaries  of  such  officers. 
With  most  of  these  institutions,  whether  they  are  to  be  sup- 
ported at  a great  expense  to  the  State  or  at  a slight  expense, 
or  whether  some  of  them  shall  be  self-supporting,  will  depend 
very  largely  upon  the  business  skill  with  which  they  are  con- 
ducted. Business  skill,  equal  to  conducting  institutions  of 
such  magnitude  economically  and  successfully,  is  in  demand 
and  has  a high  market  value,  and  as  a rule  cannot  be  obtained 
for  a small  salary;  and  true  economy  unquestionably  demands 
that  a skill  and  capacity  equal  to  the  duties  be  employed, 


102 


REPORT  OX  PENAL  AND 


rather  than  inferior  skill  and  capacity  although  at  a much 
cheaper  rate.  Had  the  Detroit  House  of  Correction  been  con- 
ducted by  any  man  who  could  have  been  obtained  at  a small 
salary,  its  surplus  earnings  would  not,  we  apprehend,  as  now, 
exceed  an  average  of  over  $13,500  per  annum. 

We  think  the  Board  should  be  at  liberty  to  do  just  as  men 
doing  a large  business  of  their  own  would  do, — go  into  open 
market  and  select  the  best  men  that  they  can  find  for  the 
several  places,  at  such  salaries  as  they  find  themselves  com- 
pelled to  pay,  in  order  to  obtain  thoroughly  competent  men. 

We  are  aware  that  there  is  a natural  reluctance  to  pay  sub- 
ordinate officers  salaries  larger  than  those  received  by  our 
highest  State  officers  and  our  Judges ; and  it  will  be  said  that 
these  salaries  secure  competent  men  for  Superintendents  of 
State  Prisons,  etc. 

We  apprehend,  however,  that  there  is  no  analogy  to  be 
drawn  between  the  different  offices.  Our  State  and  judicial 
offices  are  places  of  high  honor,  and  political  and  judicial  trust 
and  power.  They  indicate,  if  they  do  not  demonstrate,  that 
the  incumbents  hold  a high  place  in  the  confidence  and  affec- 
tions of  the  people,  and  they  are  often  the  stepping-stones  to 
still  higher  honors.  History  has  shown,  that  in  all  ages 
offices  of  this  character  have  been  sought  after  by  able  and 
ambitious  men  without  respect  to  the  salary.  And  in  this 
State  these  offices  are  sought  or  accepted  not  for  the  small 
salaries  attached  to  them,  but  despite  the  smallness  of  the 
salaries.  Indeed,  the  salaries  paid  our  State  officers  are  less 
than  those  received  by  thousands  of  clerks,  book-keepers, 
salesmen,  and  agents  of  all  sorts,  through  the  State;  while 
the  income  of  many  a fifth -rate  lawyer  far  exceeds  the  salaries 
of  our  Judges. 

The  offices  in  question  are  not  offices  of  honor,  or  political 
trust  or  power.  The  duties  belonging  to  them  are  most  labor- 
ious, and  are  anything  but  inviting  in  their  character.  Their 
performance,  as  we  have  seeu,  requires  rare  and  peculiar 
capacity.  The  capacity  that  would  enable  one  to  perform  these 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


103 


duties,  could  not  fail  to  command  liberal  compensation  in  other 
and  more  inviting  departments  of  labor,  and  as  a rule,  liberal 
compensation  alone  can  secure  it  for  the  benefit  of  the  State. 
The  Board  could  safely  be  trusted  to  pay  no  larger  salaries 
than  the  interests  of  the  State  demand. 

Another  reason  why  this  power  of  appointment  should  rest 
with  the  Board  is,  that  it  would  give  some  assurance  that  the 
appointments  would  be  permanent  in  their  character,  unless  a 
cause  for  removal  exists.  Where  an  appointment  is  for  a short 
term,  and  a re-appointment,  however  unexceptionable  the  con- 
duct of  the  officer,  is  uncertain,  and  depends  upon  whether 
there  is,  or  is  not,  a change  in  the  administration  of  the  State 
government,  personal  or  political,  or  upon  the  doctrine  of 
“ rotation  in  office,”  it  will  be  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to 
secure  the  services  of  thoroughly  competent  men  for  such 
positions. 

Such  men  can  do  better  than  to  take  a place,  the  permanency 
of  which  is  dependent  upon  such  contingencies.  Then,  too, 
all  experience  demonstrates,  that  the  proper  administration  of 
such  institutions  depends  very  largely  upon  the  stability  of 
the  management.  Every  change  in  the  management  intro- 
duces, to  some  extent,  new  theories,  new  plans  and  practices, 
and  often  rash  experiments ; while  frequent  changes  destroy 
all  system,  and  bring  confusion,  if  not  utter  chaos.  The 
most  successful  institutions  are  marked  by  the  stability  of 
their  management.  Mr.  Jones,  of  the  New  York  House  of 
Kefuge  (the  most  successful  of  all  institutions  of  that  class), 
has  been  there  nearly  twenty  years.  Gen.  Pillsbury,  of  the 
xllbany  Penitentiary,  has  been  at  its  head  from  its  opening — 
a quarter  of  a century  since.  Mr.  Haynes,  of  Massachusetts 
State  Prison,  has  been  at  its  head,  as  warden,  for  nearly  thir- 
teen years,  while  fifteen  of  the  subordinate  officers  have  been 
there,  upon  an  average,  nearly  sixteen  years.  In  New  York, 
evils  of  a most  serious  character  have  sprung  up  in  the  State 
Prisons  from  the  frequent  changes  of  wardens  and  other  officers. 


104 


REPORT  OK  PEKAL  AND 


CONCLUSION. 

W e are  conscious  that  the  recommendations  made  by  us  in 
the  foregoing  report  involve  some  radical  changes  in  the  admin- 
istration of  ©ur  system  for  the  care  and  custody  of  our  paupers 
and  criminals.  We  have,  however,  endeavored  to  avoid  recom- 
mendations which  involve  rash  and  untried  experiments,  and 
to  confine  ourselves  to  those  which  experience  has  shown  to  be 
practicable,  and  which  are  demanded  by  the  highest  interests 
of  society  and  the  State.  If  they  are  adopted  they  will  doubt- 
less involve  a very  considerable  present  expense,  but  we  are 
firmly  convinced  that  the  expenditure  will  be  in  the  interests 
of  the  strictest  economy.  Every  wise,  effective  measure  for  the 
prevention  and  the  cure  of  pauperism  and  crime  will  save  far 
more  than  its  cost.  Nor  is  it  expected  that  these  changes  if 
approved  can  be  all  made  at  once.  This  must  be  the  work  of 
time,  but  the  sooner  a broad,  wise  system  is  adopted  the  better 
for  every  interest  concerned.  It  seems  to  us  that  the  first  step 
in  the  direction  of  reform  is  the  establishment  of  a Central 
Board,  which  shall  have  the  supervision  of  all  State  institu- 
tions of  a penal  character,  or  for  the  relief  of  paupers,  and 
ample  power  to  inspect  all  alms-houses,  jails,  and  correctional 
institutions,  whether  supported  and  controlled  by  town,  city,  or 
county.  It  should  be  their  duty  to  report  to  the  Legislature  the 
condition  of  all  such  institutions,  and  also  to  examine  and 
report  upon  the  best  mode  of  preventing  and  dealing  with 
pauperism  and  crime.  Such  a Board  properly  constituted, 
with  an  efficient  secretary  or  executive  ^officer,  after  giving  the 
subject  a careful  study,  would  be  enabled  intelligently  to  recom- 
mend just  what  further  steps  are  necessary  to  be  taken,  and 
when  and  how  far  the  other  recommendations  of  this  Commis- 
sion should  be  adopted ; and  could  most  efficiently  aid  in  carry- 
ing into  effect  any  measures  which  the  Legislature  should 
authorize. 

The  next  most  urgent  need  is  an  immediate  provision  for 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


105 


the  insane  and  idiotic  poor  and  the  children  of  poverty  and 
want  found  in  the  alms-house  or  elsewhere,,  and  the  removal  of 
all  these  classes  from  the  county  alms-houses. 

The  classification  of  the  other  paupers  and  the  establish- 
ment of  hospitals  for  one  class  and  work-houses  for  another  is 
not  as  urgent,  but  its  early  accomplishment  is  demanded  by 
the  gravest  considerations.  And  especially  is  this  the  case  as 
to  many  classes  of  the  sick  poor,  who  require  competent 
nursing  and  good  medical  or  surgical  treatment.  These  classes, 
we  suggest,  could  best  be  provided  for  in  a hospital  established 
near  the  Medical  Department  of  the  State  University. 
Nowhere  else  could  they  receive  skillful  treatment  so  economi- 
cally, while  the  establishment  of  a hospital  at  that  point 
•would  greatly  increase  the  facilities  for  medical  and  surgical 
education. 

As  the  State  Prison  needs  thorough  repairs  and  improve- 
ments which  require  a large  expenditure,  it  seems  most  desir- 
able that,  before  this  is  done,  the  Legislature  should  adopt  a 
permanent  prison  system  for  the  State,  so  that  these  expendi- 
tures shall  be  made  with  reference  to  such  system,  and  the 
position  which  the  present  State  Prison  shall  hold  therein. 

In  the  meantime  all  persons  convicted  of  such  offenses  as 
authorize  their  confinement  in  county  jails,  could  be  sent  to 
the  Detroit  House  of  Correction,  and  the  jails  only  be  used  as 
places  of  detention,  and  their  very  name  abolished.  The 
system  of  indeterminate  confinement  until  the  prisoner  had 
earned  his  conditional  or  absolute  discharge  by  furnishing 
evidence  of  his  fitness  to  again  go  into  society,  could  also  be 
tried  under  the  most  favorable  circumstances  in  the  Detroit 
House  of  Correction. 

These  recommendations  are  made  in  the  discharge  of  a duty 
imposed  upon  us  by  the  act  of  the  Legislature,  under  which 
we  have  received  our  appointment  from  your  Excellency,  and 
as  the  result  of  a laborious  examination,  careful  study,  and  full 
consideration  ; and  as  such  w'e  respectfully  submit  them  and 
14 


106 


PENAL  AND  REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


the  report  generally,  to  your  Excellency,  and  through  you  to 
the  Legislature. 

We  desire  to  express  our  obligations  to  you  personally  for 
the  deep  interest  which  you  have  taken  in  our  duties,  and 
the  efficient  aid  which  you  have  rendered  us  in  the  perfor- 
mance of  those  duties. 

S.  S.  CUTTER, 

C.  I.  WALKER, 

F.  H.  RANK  IK, 

Commissioners. 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX 


SCHEDULE  A. 

Statement  showing  the  condition  of  poor-house  buildings , and 

values  of  county  farms , in  the  severed  counties  of  the  State. 

Alcona — No  report. 

Allegan — Wood  building,  in  very  fair  condition  ; men  lodge 
in  an  old  dilapidated  building  outside,  with  an  addition  made 
of  boards,  like  a barn,  for  the  insane:  farm,  160  acres;  value, 
$10,000. 

Alpena — No  poor-house. 

Antrim — No  poor-house. 

Barry — House  in  good  condition,  barn  old ; farm,  120  acres : 
value,  about  $6,000. 

Bay — House  built  of  wood  and  needs  repairs;  farm,  120 
acres;  value,  $5,000. 

Benzie — No  poor-house. 

Berrien — New  brick  house,  two  stories  and  basement,  with 
28  rooms  and  a separate  department  for  the  insane ; also  com- 
modious barns  and  out-liouses ; cost  15,000,  which,  with  the 
farm  of  160  acres,  is  valued  at  $25,000. 

Branch — Two  story  brick  building  with  attic  and  cellar : 
large  and  roomy,  in  good  condition,  well  managed;  also  two 
large  barns  and  one  horse-barn ; farm,  140  acres ; value,  $17,000. 

Calhoun — Large  wooden  building,  part  of  it  17  years  old, 
remainder  only  10  years;  good  barn,  farm,  145  acres,  value 
$14,500.  Insane  persons  in  a wretched  condition,  for  want  of 
proper  places  of  custody,  and  experience  in  the  care  of  them. 


110 


REPORT  OK  PEKAL  AKD 


Cass — Brick  house,  with  frame  addition ; rooms  small ; a 
new  addition  of  brick  is  being  built ; kept  in  good  order — neat 
and  cleanly ; farm,  280  acres ; value,  $25,000. 

Charlevoix — No  poor-house. 

Cheboygan — No  poor-house. 

Chippeiva — No  report. 

Clinton — Frame  building,  two  stories,  and  also  a small  build- 
ing, separate,  in  good  condition  ; also,  a log  house ; farm,  77 
acres;  value,  $6,000. 

Delta — No  report. 

Eaton — Brick  house,  in  which  are  cells  for  insane  persons ; 
also  a frame  building;  farm,  160  acres;  value,  $6,000. 

Emmet — No  poor-house. 

Genesee — Large  brick  building,  two  and  one-half  stories,  in 
good  preservation,  but  needing  some  repairs ; farm,  112-j  acres ; 
value,  $8,000. 

Grand  Traverse — No  poor-house. 

Gratiot — Small  house,  in  goi)d,  comfortable  condition ; farm, 
80  acres;  value,  $3,500. 

Hillsdale — Two  frame  buildings,  one  of  them  large,  the 
other  small ; both  are  neat  and  comfortable ; the  farm  and 
grounds  are  homelike  and  pleasant ; farm,  200  acres ; value, 
$12,000. 

Houghton — No  report. 

Huron — No  poor-house. 

Ingham — Building  good ; nearly  new ; farm  200  acres ; value, 
$8,000. 

Ionia — Poor  log  house,  good  frame  barn  ; farm,  120  acres ; 
value,  $6,000. 

Iosco — No  poor-house. 

Isabella — Log  house  with  frame  addition  ; good  barn ; farm, 
160  acres;  value,  $4,000. 

Jackson — Large  old  building,  out  of  repair  and  inconvenient ; 
distinction  between  town  and  county  poor  still  kept  up  ; farm 
1 60  acres  : value,  $9,000. 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


Ill 


Kalamazoo — Old  wood  building,  in  a dilapidated  condition, 
not  very  neat;  farm,  170  acres;  value,  $17,000. 

Kent — Old  wood  building  in  a bad  condition ; rooms  small ; 
an  out  building  used  for  idiots  and  diseased  persons,  cold, 
filthy,  and  uncomfortable;  farm,  104  acres;  value,  $7,000. 

Keweenaw — No  report. 

Lapeer — Frame  house ; condition  not  reported  ; farm,  80 
acres;  value,  $6,500. 

Leelanaw — No  poor-house. 

Lenawee — New  brick  house,  with  two  wings ; three  stories ; in 
good  condition ; separate  department  for  the  insane ; farm, 
147  acres ; value,  $35,000. 

Livingston — No  poor-house  or  farm ; the  keeping  of  the 
poor  is  let  to  the  lowest  bidder.  A committee  of  the  board  of 
supervisors  say  that  “ the  poor  are  kept  in  one  room,  18x22 
feet  ; males  and  females  occupying  it  as  sleeping,  sitting,  and 
dining  room  ; in  a frame  house  boarded  and  battened,  without 
plaster.” 

MacJcinac — No  report. 

Macomb — Brick  house,  three  stories,  with  basement ; also  a 
separate  hospital  building  of  brick ; also  two  frame  buildings, 
one  for  insane  and  idiots,  the  other  for  washing  and  bathing; 
good  barn  and  other  out-buildings;  farm,  134  acres;  value, 
$18,000. 

Mi mistee — N o report. 

Manitou — No  report. 

Marquette — No  report. 

Mason — No  report. 

Mecosta — Small  frame  house  and  barn ; farm,  80  acres ; 
value,  $3,000. 

Menominee — No  report. 

Midland — House  needs  repairs ; barn  in  poor  condition  ; 
farm,  120  acres  ; value,  $3,000. 

Monroe — Large  building,  very  inconvenient,  and  in  a dilapi- 
dated condition  ; farm,  154  acres ; value,  $13,000. 


112 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


Montcalm — A good,  substantial  frame  building,  large  enough 
for  present  use,  and  a good,  new,  large  barn  ; farm,  120  acres  ; 
value,  14,000. 

Muskegon — Frame  house,  boarded  with  2-inch  plank  and 
sided,  but  not  plastered ; farm,  80  acres  ; value,  $4,000. 

Newaygo — No  poor-house. 

Oakland — Large  brick  house,  three  stories,  with  comfortable 
rooms,  except  the  cells  for  the  insane,  no  provision  having 
been  made  for  warming  them  in  cold  weather ; farm,  137  acres  ; 
value,  about  $20,000. 

Oceana — No  poor-house. 

Ontonagon — Frame  dwelling-house  and  barn,  not  used  for 
the  poor,  who  are  kept  cheaper  elsewhere : farm,  140  acres ; 
value,  $2,000. 

Osceola — No  report. 

Ottawa — Wood  building,  two  stories,  with  a wing  and  an 
addition  for  wood-house  and  cells,  in  good  repair  and  kept 
clean ; farm,  200  acres ; value,  $14,000. 

Saginaw — Wood  building,  large  and  roomy,  in  good  condi- 
tion ; three  insane  persons  confined  in  miserable  cells.  The 
overseer  thinks  “they  might  be  benefited  or  restored  under 
proper  treatment,  which  the  county  does  not  afford.”  Farm, 
80  acres  ; value,  $7,700. 

Sanilac — New  brick  building  with  stone  basement ; sexes 
kept  in  separate  rooms ; farm,  120  acres  ; value  without  build- 
ings, $4,000  ; value  of  buildings  not  stated. 

Shiawassee — Frame  building,  two  stories  with  basement,  40 
by  70  feet ; rooms  small ; farm,  80  acres ; value,  $5,000. 

St.  Clair — Has  no  poor-house;  the  poor  are  kept  by  the 
week,  the  county  providing  furniture,  bedding,  clothing,  etc.; 
farm,  about  200  acres  ; value,  $7,000. 

St. Joseph — Frame  building;  large  and  in  fair  condition; 
well  managed;  farm,  210  acres;  value,  $8,400. 

Tuscola — No  report. 


IlEFORMA TO R Y INSTITUTIONS. 


113 

Van  Buren . — Large  house,  in  good  condition,  and  satisfac- 
torily conducted ; farm,  170  acres ; value,  $10,200. 

Washtenaw — Old  wooden  building,  with  a new  brick  apart- 
ment for  the  insane;  farm,  120  acres;  value,  $9, GOO. 

Wayne — Extensive  brick  buildings,  with  a separate  depart- 
ment for  the  insane,  with  cells,  damp,  in  an  unwarmed  base- 
ment, and  no  ventilation  ; poor-house  not  very  well  cared  for  ; 
very  little  classification  of  inmates;  farm,  280  acres;  value, 
$47,600. 

Wexford — No  poor-house. 

Total  value  of  farms,  $407,000. 

In  one  instance,  the  value  of  the  buildings  is  omitted,  and 
from  some  counties  there  is  no  report.  Probably  the  total 
value  of  investments  in  the  State,  including  stock,  agricultural 
implements,  furniture,  and  household  goods,  will  exceed 
$600,000. 

A few  of  the  poor-houses  are  well  ventilated,  but  the  greater 
portion  of  them  have  no  means  of  ventilation,  except  by  the 
doers  and  windows.  Only  a very  few  of  them  have  any  bathing 
facilities,  and  in  hut  a few  of  them  is  there  any  proper  classi- 
fication of  the  inmates,  and  no  effort  made  for  their  moral  or 
mental  improvement.  The  condition  of  the  poor  in  some  of 
them  is  wretched  and  miserable,  particularly  that  unfortunate 
class  who  are  insane,  some  of  them  being  kept  in  uncomfort- 
able rooms,  without  fire  in  the  coldest  weather,  in  a very  filthy 
condition,  or  confined  in  miserable  cells,  without  ventilation, 
and  with  scarcely  any  of  the  comforts  of  life ; a disgrace  to  a 
civilized  and  Christian  community. 

15 


114 


REPORT  OX  PEXAL  A XI) 


SCHEDULE  B. 

Table  showing  the  Cost  of  Support  of  the  Poor,  in  the  several  Counties  of  the 
State,  over  and  above  the  Products  of  County  Farms , for  the  year  1869. 


COUNTIES. 

Poor  tlouse. 

Out  tloor  Relief. 

Total. 

Alcona  (no  report)--  

Allegan . _ . _ 

$1,538  00 

$3,710  00 
1,222  16 

$5,248  00 
1,222  16 
400  00 

Alpena 

Antrim  . . - 

400  00 

Barry 

Bay 

Benzie  (no  poor  to  provide  for) 

Berrien 

Branch 

3,000  00 
1,759  95 

1,465  28 
2,384  29 

4,465  28 
4,144  24 

2,500  00 
1,170  25 
2,910  00 
1,199  61 

5,500  00 
1,203  00 
4,000  00 

8,000  00 
2,373  25 

Calhoun 

6,910  00 
3,115  03 

Cass  - 

1,915  42 

Charlevoix  (no  poor  to  prov.  for) 
Cheboygan 

250  00 

250  00 

Chippewa 

578  66 

578  66 

Clinton. 

1,793  25 

1,028  88 

2,822  13 

Delta  (not  returned) 

Emmet  (no  poor  to  provide  for) 
Eaton 

3,029  70 
4,175  70 

500  00 

3,529  70 
9,762  10 
1,866  71 

Genesee 

Grand  Traverse 

5,586  40 
1,866  71 
71  50 

Gratiot 

1,500  00 
1,000  00 

1,571  50 
2,500  00 
12,283  58 
242  07 

Hillsdale 

1,500  00 

Houghton..  

12,283  58 
242  07 

Huron 

Ingham . -- 

5,554  46 
3,050  24 

1,573  19 

7,127  65 

Ionia  

3,050  24 
1,400  00 
1,100  00 
0,700  00 
4,713  00 
5,000  00 

Iosco 

1,400  00 
600  00 

Isabella 

500  00 

Jackson 

6,000  00 
1,635  00 

700  00 

Kalamazoo 

3,078  00 
1,342  00 
5,759  00 

Kent 

3,658  00 

Keweenaw 

5,759  00 

Lapeer  

3,000  00 

3,500  00 

6,500  00 

Leelanaw  _ . 

884  00 

884  00 

Lenawee 

2,833  61 
575  75 
4,433  80 

5,983  74 

8,817  35 
1,158  47 
7,401  64 

Livingston  

Macomb , 

582  72 
2,967  84 

Mackinac  (no  report) 

Manistee 

5,813  84 

5,813  84 

Manitmi  (no  rppnrt) 

Marquette  _ _ 

i 

6,201  06 
1,599  64 
2,126  04 

6,201  06 
1,599  64 
2,646  04 

Mason  

Mecosta  _.  

520  00 

Menominee 

757  01 

757  01 

REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


115 


SCHEDULE  B. — Continued. 


COUNTIES. 


Poor  House. 


Out  door  Relief. 


Total. 


Midland  

$1,500  00 
3,066  00 
3,989  92 
5,417  44 

$1,142  30 
1,880  40 
977  22 

Monroe  

Montcalm  

Muskegon  - 

Newave-o  

1,619  13 
5,000  00 
1,967  79 
4,435  95 
970  00 
4,320  75 
1,759  98 

Oakland.  

4,300  00 

Oceana 

Ontonagon.  

Ottawa  

2,571  00 
4,585  84 
1,000  00 
4,459  00 

Saginaw 

Sanilac  _ _ ...  . . - 

Shiawassee 

St.  Clair. 

13,687  67 
1,226  16 
1,123  62 
2,625  00 
6,130,69 
9,000,00 
169  00 

St.  Joseph.  ..  _ 

3,714  34 

Tuscola. 

Van  Buren 

Washtenaw 

Wayne 

Wexford 

1,126  00 
6,178  10 
18,270  63 

$2,642  80 
4,946  40 

4.967  14 
5,417  44 
1,619  13 
9,300  00 

1.967  79 
4,435  95 
3,541  00 
8,906  59 
2,759  98 
4,459  00 

13,687  67 
4,940  50 
1,123  62 
3,751  00 
12,308  79 
27,270  63 
169  00 


Total 


$117,515  59 


$148,611  69 


$266,127  28 


In  the  above  schedule,  the  statement  of  expenses  for  the 
support  of  the  poor,  in  the  counties  of  Chippewa,  Houghton, 
Huron,  Keweenawq  Marquette,  Mason,  Menominee,  St.  Clair, 
and  Tuscola,  are  taken  from  the  reports  of  the  Superintendents 
of  the  Poor  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  for  the  year  1869  ; the 
Commissioners  not  having  received  statements  from  those 
counties  of  such  expenses,  and  not  being  able  to  distinguish 
what  proportion  of  such  expense  was  for  support  of  paupers 
in  the  poor-house,  or  for  out-door  relief,  the  several  amounts 
are  placed  in  the  second  column.  We  are  aware  that  the  fore- 
going schedule  shows  some  discrepancies,  when  compared  with 
the  annual  reports  made  to  the  Secretary  of  State  by  the 
County  Superintendents,  for  which  we  are  unable  to  account, 
except  on  the  supposition  that  the  statements  made  to  us  do 
not  make  the  year  close  at  the  same  time,  some  of  them  having 
been  made  several  months  since,  while  others  are  of  a more 
recent  date. 


116 


REPORT  OST  PEATAL  AXI) 


We  have  before  us  two  statements  of  the  expenses  in  Wayne 
county,  one  made  January  12,  1870,  and  one  August  22,  1870,. 
which  differ  from  each  other,  and  neither  of  them  agree  with 
the  amount  reported  to  the  Secretary  of  State.  We  mention 
this  as  one  instance  by  way  of  illustration,  and  with  a view  off 
recommending  that  a new  form  for  these  reports  be  adopted, 
containing  more  full  and  complete  returns  from  the  County 
Superintendents  of  the  Poor,  and  that  they  he  required  by  law 
to  make  such  returns  on  or  before  a certain  time,  and  that  a 
penalty  be  incurred  for  neglect  to  comply  with  such  require- 
ment. 

We  herewith  submit  for  consideration  in  Schedule  “ F,”  the 
items  to  be  embraced  in  such  report,  and  the  Secretary  of  State 
should  be  directed  to  make  the  blanks  in  proper  form,  and 
distribute  the  same  to  the  several  counties. 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


117 


SCHEDULE  C. 

Table  showing  the  number  of  Insane , Idiotsy  Blind , and  Mute  in  the  several 
Poor-Houses. 


COUNTIES. 


Allegan 


a? 


00 

£ 


O 


REMARKS. 


Alpena.. 
Antrim  . 
Barry. .. 

Bay 

Benzie.. 
Berrien  . 
Branch . 
Calhoun 


One  returned  from  Insane 
[Asylum  as  incurable. 


Cass 

Charlevoix. 

Cheboygan 

Clinton 

Emmet 

Eaton 

Genesee 


1 


1 


2 

4 


Grand  Traverse. 

Gratiot. — 

Hillsdale 

Houghton 

Huron 

Ingham 

Ionia 

Iosco  

Isabella 

Jackson 

Kalamazoo 

Kent 

Keweenaw 

Lapeer 

Leelanaw 

Lenawee 

Livingston 

Macomb . . 

Manistee 

Marquette 

Mason 

Mecosta 

Midland 

Monroe 

Montcalm 

Muskegon 

Newaygo 

Oakland 

Oceana 


1 

6 


1 


1 

ry 


21 


7 


15 

1 

9 


5 


1 


kept  in  private  fam.  and 
[1  at  Detroit  Asylum. 


3 


! Number  not  stated. 


118 


REPORT  017  PE17AL  AND 


S CHED  TILE  C. — Continued. 


COUNTIES. 


Ontonagon  . 

Ottawa 

Saginaw 

Sanilac 

Shiawassee. 

St.  Clair 

St.  Joseph.. 

Tuscola 

Yan  Buren. 
Washtenaw. 

W ayne 

W exforcl 


19 

67 


215 


62 


REMARKS. 


30 


15 


Total. 


REFO RM ATO R Y INSTITUTION S. 


119 


SCHEDULE  D. 


Table  showing  the  largest  number  of  inmates  in  the  several  County  Door 


Houses  at  one  time  during  the  year  1869 ; 

also  the  number  under  16 

years  of  age. 

6 c5 

O 

Jh  . 

0)  n, 

COUNTIES. 

« 

a>  q 

& O 

W)*, 

W 53 

'g  £ 

REMARKS. 

6 

& 

Allfio’fl.n  

19 

2 

Mpena  _ - -- 

No  Poor  House. 

No  Poor  House. 

Harry  

19 

Bay  

20 

5 

Benzie  

No  Poor  House. 

Berrien  

34 

3 

Branch  _ 

25 

4 

Calhoun  

36 

12 

Cass  

35 

6 

Charlevoix  - 

No  Poor  House. 

Cheboygan  

No  Poor  House. 

Clinton  - 

32 

6 

Eaton  

25 

1 

Emmet 

No  Poor  House. 

Genesee  - 

42 

10 

Grand  Traverse 

No  Poor  House. 

Gratiot  

9 

3 

Hillsdale 

43 

4 

Houghton  

No  Report. 

No  Poor  House. 

Huron  

Ingham - 

29 

ie” 

Ionia 

27 

6 

Iosco  . 

No  Poor  House. 

Isabella - 

11 

Jackson 

37 

4 

Kalamazoo 

47 

10 

Kent 

41 

9 

Keweenaw 

No  Report. 

Lapeer 

23 

4 

Leelanaw  _ _ _ _ 

No  Poor  House. 

Lenawee 

60 

17 

Livingston  

14 

Macomb 

54 

10 

Manistee 

No  Report. 

No  Report. 

No  Report. 

Marquette 

Mason 

Mecosta 

3 

1 

Midland - 

12 

3 

Monroe 

49 

8 

Montcalm 

6 

1 

• 

Muskegon 

19 

o 

120 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


S G II ED  JJLE  D. — Continued. 


COUNTIES. 

Highest  N o.  1 

at  one  time.  1 

O 

5 8 
gg 

6 
& 

REMARKS. 

No  Poor  House. 

Oakland .. 

49 

5 

Oceana 

No  Poor  House. 

Ontonagon 

No  poor  kept  in  Poor  H ’se. 

Ottawa. 

20 

9 

Saginaw 

33 

4 

Sanilac  

10 

1 

Shiawassee 

24 

No  rec’d  k’pt  tk’se  un  ’dr  16 

St.  Clair 

34 

3 

St.  Joseph 

44 

6 

Tuscola 

No  Report. 

Van  Buren 

20 

1 

Washtenaw 

103 

6 

Wayne 

370 

30 

W exford 

No  Poor  House. 

Total 

l478~ 

212 

II EFOBMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


121 


SC II ED  ULE  E. 


Statement  showing  the  cost  to  Counties  for  maintenance  of  Indigent  and 
Pauper  Patients , at  Michigan  Asylum  for  the  Insane,  for  12  months  end- 
ing 31st  of  July,  1870. 


COUNTIES. 

No.  of  Weeks. 

Board. 

Clothing, 

Exp. 

Home, 

Und’tak’r 

Damages. 

1 

Postage. 

Total. 

M 

o 

o 

£ 

s 

p. 

Allegan . 

509  2 

$1,782  50 

$204  26 

$6  10 

$1  02 

$1,993  88 

$3  91 

29  5 

104  00 

28  31 

33 

132  64 

4 46 

Barry 

109  4 

383  50 

104  09 

40 

45 

488  44 

4 46 

Bay 

92 

322  00 

38  43 

12 

860  55 

3 92 

Berrien 

389  1 

1,862  00 

186  83 

5 75 

87 

1,555  45 

8 99 

Branch 

600  4 

2,102  00 

207  74 

11  80 

1 82 

2,323  36 

3 87 

Calhoun 

438  6 

1,536  00 

169  47 

10  S8 

92 

1,717  27 

3 91 

Cass 

276  2 

967  00 

60  19 

73 

57 

1,028  49 

3 72 

Clinton 

234  2 

820  00 

124  95 

2 20 

87 

948  02 

4 05 

Delta 

51  3 

ISO  00 

32  55 

09 

212  64 

4 16 

Eaton 

66  5 

233  50 

29  96 

51 

* 

264  90 

3 97 

Emmet 

52  1 

182  50 

2 80 

12 

1S5  42 

3 56 

Genesee 

386  3 

1,352  50 

197  48 

2 40 

99 

1,553  S7 

4 02 

Hillsdale... 

276  3 

967  50 

132  32 

5 18 

4S 

1,105  48 

4 00 

Houghton 

207  5 

727  00 

118  02 

5 88 

21 

851  11 

4 10 

Huron 

52  1 

1S2  50 

9 12 

12 

191  74 

3 68 

Ingham 

181  6 

636  50 

59  81 

90 

24 

697  45 

8 83 

Ionia  

184  5 

646  50 

95  52 

1 03 

60 

743  65 

4 03 

Iosco  

18  6 

66  00 

19  15 

13 

85  28 

4 52 

Jackson 

43o  5 

1,525  00 

169  64 

6 80 

1 08 

1,702  02 

8 91 

Kalamazoo 

914 

8,199  00 

412  32 

4 85 

93 

8,616  60 

8 96 

Kent 

398  3 

1,394  50 

222  46 

10  21 

1 35 

1,628  52 

4 09 

Keweenaw 

104  2 

365  00 

5 54 

09 

870  63 

8 56 

Lapeer 

244  4 

856  00 

89  91 

3 63 

78 

950  32 

8 S9 

Leelanaw 

52  1 

182  50 

19  45 

27 

202  22 

3 88 

Lenawee 

310  4 

1,087  00 

209  08 

6 69 

1 59 

1,804  86 

4 20 

Livingston 

119  3 

418  00 

15  65 

1 16 

09 

484  90 

3 64 

122 


REPORT  ON  PENAL  AND 


SCHEDULE  E.— Continued. 


COUNTIES. 

No.  of  Weeks. 

Board. 

Clothing, 

Exp. 

Home, 

Und’tak’r 

Damages. 

Postage. 

Total. 

Av.  per  Week,  j 

Macomb 

271  2 

$949  50 

$108  37 

$4  18 

$0  67 

$1,062  72 

$3  92 

56  3 

197  50 

22  80 

20 

220  50 

3 91 

Mason 

102  5 

359  50 

69  28 

5 60 

21 

434  59 

4 25 

Mecosta - 

48  2 

169  00 

26  91 

8 61 

06 

199  58 

4 14 

Monroe 

404  1 

1,414  50 

128  62 

1 30 

83 

1,545  £> 

3 S2 

Montcalm 

71  6 

251  50 

58  26 

2 30 

21 

312  27 

4 34 

Muskegon 

422  6 

1,480  00 

213  30 

4 70 

75 

1,698  75 

4 01 

Newaygo .... 

18  2 

64  00 

1 50 

24 

65  74 

3 60 

Oakland 

597  6 

2,092  50 

241  90 

12  16 

1 32 

2,347  88 

3 92 

Oceana 

26  6 

94  00 

4 91 

12 

99  03 

3 69 

Ontonagon 

52  1 

182  50 

29  15 

09 

211  74 

4 06 

Ottawa 

303 

1,060  50 

128  36 

S 91 

1 35 

1,199  12 

3 95 

Saginaw 

353  4 

1,237  50 

226  31 

7 63 

1 28 

1,472  72 

4 16 

Sanilac 

104  2 

365  00 1 

24  29 

2 80 

09 

392  18 

3 76 

Shiawassee 

158  4 

555  00 

56  91 

2 50 

90 

615  31 

3 80' 

St.  Clair 

376  4 

1,31S  00 

166  81 

19  10 

57 

1,504  48 

4 00 

St.  Joseph 

312  5 

1,094  50 

170  62 

7 38 

1 20 

1,273  70 

4 08 

Tuscola _ 

61  3 

215  00 

13  80 

2 80 

30 

231  90 

3 78 

Van  Buren 

210  2 

736  00 

115  62 

12  96 

27 

864  85 

4 11 

Washtenaw 

326  6 

1,144  00 

232  83 

10  85 

1 35 

1,389  08 

4 25 

Wayne 

766  1 

2,681  50 

421  60 

3 38 

4 15 

3,110  63 

4 00 

Total 

11,783  3 

$41,242  00 

$5,427  20 

$198  59 

$32  89 

$46,900  68 

$3  90 

REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


m 


SCHEDULE  F. 

Statement  of  the  different  items  which  it  is  desirable  should  be 
embraced  in  the  annual  report  of  Superintendents  of  the 
Poor , to  the  Secretary  of  State , to  be  made  on  the  first  day 
of  November  in  each  year,  or  at  such  other  time  as  shall  be 
deemed  best. 

1st — Whole  number  of  Paupers  in  Poor-House  during  the 
year. 

2d — Average  number  during  the  year. 

Sd — Number  under  16  years  of  age. 

4th — Number  of  Insane. 

5th — Number  of  Idiots. 

6th — Number  of  Blind. 

7th — Number  of  Mutes. 

8th — Cost  of  maintenance  in  Poor-House. 

9th — Salary  of  Keeper  of  Poor-House. 

10th — Amount  paid  for  Medical  Attendance. 

11th — Amount  earned  by  labor  of  Paupers. 

12tli — Amount  paid  for  transportation  of  Poor. 

13th — Amount  paid  for  repairs  of  buildings,  stock,  toolsy 
etc.,  including  all  items  which  are  not  any  part  of  the  actual 
expenses  of  maintaining  the  Poor. 

llfh — Amount  paid  to  Superintendents  of  Poor. 

15th — Amount  paid  to  Supervisors  and  Justices. 

16th — Number  of  persons  who  have  received  temporary 
support  or  outdoor  relief  during  the  year. 

17th — Amount  paid  for  temporary  support  or  outdoor  relief 
during  the  year. 

18th — Value  of  county  farms,  including  buildings,  stock, 
tools,  furniture,  and  fixtures. 

19th — Nationality  or  birthplace  of  paupers. 

Remarlcs. — Under  this  head  should  be  given  a general 
description  of  the  condition  of  the  farm-house  and  other  build- 


124 


KEPORT  OK  PEKAL  AKD 


ings ; the  manner  in  which  paupers  are  treated  ; how  they  are 
fed  and  clothed ; in  what  manner  sick  persons  are  cared  for  ; 
how  the  insane  and  idiots  are  kept,  and  what  are  their  treat- 
ment and  accommodations ; how  the  pauper  children  are  edu- 
cated ; facilities  for  bathing ; mode  of  ventilation ; in  short, 
all  the  information  necessary  to  give  the  public  a full  and  com- 
plete account  of  the  condition  of  the  poor  throughout  the 
entire  State. 

Were  such  a full  and  accurate  report  required  to  be  made 
every  year,  we  are  of  opinion  that  there  would  be  a very  great 
improvement  made  in  the  care  and  comfort  of  this  unfortu- 
nate class  of  our  citizens. 


SCHEDULE  Gr. 

Statement  showing  the  condition  of  the  County  Jails , highest 
number  of  Prisoners  at  one  time,  etc. ; also , estimated  value 
of  buildings. 

A Icona — N o statement. 

Allegan — Brick  building,  40x40  feet,  two  stories,  used  for 
residence  of  sherilf,  and  jail;  rooms  neat;  four  cells  8x12 
feet ; no  provision  for  separation  of  sexes,  except  when  con- 
fined in  cells ; no  bathing  facilities ; no  secular  or  religious 
instruction  given ; no  employment  furnished ; no  reading 
matter;  prisoners  allowed  free  communication  with  each 
other;  privy  in  bad  condition;  highest  number  of  inmates  at 
one  time,  13  ; estimated  value,  $10,000. 

Alpena — Frame  building,  two  stories,  used  as  dwelling  and 
jail ; eight  cells,  five  of  them  5x8  feet ; three  of  them  15  feet 
square;  sexes  kept  separate;  no  bathing  facilities ; no  instruc- 
tion; Bibles  furnished;  no  employment;  prisoners  allowed 
free  communication  with  each  other;  highest  number  of 
inmates  at  one  time,  8 ; estimated  value,  $5,000. 

A ntrim — Frame  building,  occupied  for  court-house,  dwelling 
and  jail ; three  cells,  eight  feet  square  ; no  bathing  facilities ; 
no  instruction;  sexes  separated  by  cells  only;  no  employ- 


REFORMATORY  I INSTITUTIONS. 


125 


ment;  prisoners  not  allowed  free  communication  with  each 
other;  highest  number  of  inmates,  1;  estimated  value,  $7,000. 

Barry — Brick  building,  two  stories,  with  frame  addition, 
used  for  dwelling  and  jail;  in  good  condition;  warmed  by 
furnace;  six  cells,  five  8x9  feet  and  one  9x12  feet.  Also,  one 
cell  in  basement  for  drunkards;  sexes  separated  by  cells  only  ; 
110  instruction  ; papers  and  periodicals  furnished ; no  bathing 
facilities;  no  employment;  communication  free;  highest 
number  of  inmates,  5 ; estimated  value,  $5,000. 

Bay — Frame  building,  one  story,  with  dwelling-house  at- 
tached; eleven  cells;  ten  5x7  feet  and  one  8x12  feet ; sexes 
kept  separate;  free  communication  in  the  daytime;  religious 
instruction  is  given  by  city  missionary,  and  reading  matter  fur- 
nished; no  employment;  no  bathing  facilities;  highest  num- 
ber of  inmates,  21 ; estimated  value,  $4,000. 

Berrien — New  brick  jail  and  residence  ; 2 tier  of  cells ; 15 
of  iron  and  stone  below,  and  8 of  iron  and  wood  above ; sexes 
separated;  good  bathing  facilities ; reading  matter  furnished, 
but  no  instruction  given  ; free  communication  in  day  time, 
except  in  special  cases ; no  employment ; highest  number  of 
inmates,  13  ; estimated  value,  $30,000. 

Benzie — No  statement. 

Branch — No  jail  except  a temporary  <£ lock-up;”  prisoners 
confined  in  St.  Joseph  county  jail;  the  temporary  building  js 
not  fit  for  the  purpose  of  a jail,  and  has  been  condemned  by 
the  Circuit  Court. 

Calhoun — Brick  building,  2 stories;  second  story  used  for 
jail;  6 cells  8x10  feet ; separate  room  for  women,  but  the  sexes 
can  converse  with  each  other;  no  bathing  arrangements;  no 
instruction ; newspapers  furnished ; no  employment ; free  com- 
munication allowed;  highest  number  of  inmates,  17 ; estimated 
value,  $8,000. 

Cass — Brick  building,  30x40  feet,  two  stories;  six  cells — 
four  for  men  and  two  for  women,  each  9 feet  square  ; no  bath- 
ing facilities ; no  instruction;  reading  matter  furnished  by 


126 


REPORT  OK  PEKAL  AND 


sheriff;  no  employment;  free  communication  allowed;  cells 
are  lined  with  plank,  and  are  badly  infested  with  bed-bugs ; 
highest  number  of  inmates,  7 ; estimated  value,  $2,500. 

Charlevoix — Has  no  jail ; prisoners  are  kept  in  the  jail  of 
Antrim  county. 

Cheboygan — Frame  building ; two  cells,  10  feet  square  ; sexes 
not  separated ; no  facilities  for  bathing ; no  instruction ; no 
employment ; free  communication  allowed  ; highest  number  of 
inmates,  2 ; estimated  value,  $1,000. 

Chippewa — No  statement. 

Clinton — New  building,  20x25  feet,  built  for  a jail  by  pri- 
vate party,  and  leased  to  the  county ; five  cells,  5x7  feet ; good 
ventilation  ; sexes  not  separated ; no  bathing  facilities ; no  in- 
struction ; no  employment ; free  communication  allowed ; 
highest  number  of  inmates,  7 ; value  or  amount  of  rent  not 
stated. 

Delta — No  statement. 

Eaton — Has  no  jail ; prisoners  are  kept  in  the  jail  of  Jack- 
son  county. 

Emmet — No  statement, 

Genesee — Building  two  stories ; exterior  walls  of  brick  ; the 
entire  interior  of  iron,  new  and  in  good  condition,  strong  and 
secure;  sixteen  cells,  5x8  feet;  sexes  separated;  no  bathing- 
arrangements  ; no  instruction ; books  and  papers  furnished ; 
no  employ ment ; free  communication  allowed ; highest  num- 
ber of  inmates,  20  ; estimated  value,  $30,000. 

Grand  Traverse — Wood  building,  one  story,  with  two  cells, 
10x16  feet ; no  bathing  facilities;  no  instruction  ; no  employ- 
ment ; highest  number  of  inmates,  1 ; estimated  value,  $1,200. 

Gratiot — Has  no  jail ; prisoners  are  kept  in  the  jail  of  Clin- 
ton county. 

Hillsdale — Stone  building,  35x55  feet;  two  stories;  six  cells, 
4x8  feet,  and  only  64  feet  high  in  lower  story;  separate  room 
for  females  in  second  story,  16  feet  square;  no  bathing  facili- 
ties, no  instruction,  and  no  employment;  reading  matter  fur- 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


127 


nished  by  the  sheriff;  free  communication  allowed;  the  cells 
in  this  jail  are  damp  and  unhealthy ; privy  in  bad  condition  ; 
building  is  old  and  unsuitable  for  the  purpose  used ; highest 
number  of  inmates,  12;  estimated  value  not  stated. 

Houghton — No  statement. 

Huron — Frame  building,  two  stories,  about  30  feet  square, 
with  wing ; used  for  dwelling  and  jail ; three  cells,  8 feet  square : 
sexes  not  separated  only  by  cells;  no  bathing  facilities;  no  in- 
struction ; no  employment ; free  communication  in  general ; 
highest  number  of  inmates,  2 ; estimated  value,  $1,000. 

Ingham — No  statement. 

Ionia — Wood  building  18x24  feet,  two  stories;  attached  to 
sheriff’s  residence;  in  poor  condition;  four  cells,  9x12  feet; 
sexes  separated  only  by  cells;  no  bathing  facilities;  no  in- 
struction; no  employment;  free  communication;  value  not 
stated;  highest  number  of  inmates,  11. 

Iosco — Stone  basement  of  the  court-house  is  used  for  jail; 
one  room  for  men,  14x20  feet;  one  for  women  14  feet  square; 
three  cells,  7x11  feet;  no  facilities  for  bathing;  no  instruction ; 
no  employment;  and  generally  free  communication  is  allowed ; 
highest  number  of  inmates,  4;  estimated  value,  $2,000. 

Isabella — Has  no  jail  ; prisoners  are  confined  in  the  jail  of 
Midland  county. 

Jackson — Brick  building;  fourteen  cells  for  men  and  three 
for  women,  5x7-J  feet;  sexes  kept  separate;  no  instruction 
given;  no  bathing  arrangements ; no  stated  employment;  men 
work  some  in  the  garden  and  barn,  and  special  leave  is  given 
to  work  out  with  ball  and  chain;  women  sew  some;  free  com- 
munication allowed ; water-closets  very  offensive;  sick  persons 
are  cared  for  in  cells,  which  have  no  light  or  ventilation  except 
through  grated  doors  from  illy  lighted  and  illy  ventilated 
corridors;  highest  number  of  inmates,  64;  value  not  stated. 

Kalamazoo — Brick  building  40x100  feet  ; used  for  dwelling 
and  jail;  kept  neat  and  tidy;  twrenty-eight  cells,  5x7  feet,  8 
feet  high  ; three  large  cells;  sexes  kept  separate;  no  bathing 


128 


REPORT  OX  PEXAL  AXD 


facilities;  no  instruction  given;  no  employment;  a Bible  is 
furnished  each  prisoner,  and  papers  sent  in  by  benevolent  per- 
sons; free  communication  not  allowed;  highest  number  of 
inmates,  28 ; estimated  value  of  building,  $40,275. 

Kent — Wood  building,  2 stories;  used  for  dwelling  and  jail; 
dwelling  comfortable;  jail  old  and  in  bad  condition;  9 cells  in 
lower  story,  5xG  feet,  9 feet  high ; G cells  in  upper  story,  6x8 
feet,  7 feet  high ; sexes  separated ; no  bathing  arrangements ; 
no  instruction ; no  employment ; prisoners  allowed  free  com- 
munication, two  of  whom  are  boys;  highest  number  of  in- 
mates, 22 ; estimated  value,  $1,500. 

Keweenaw — No  statement. 

Lapeer — No  statement. 

Leelanaw — Wood  building,  16x22  feet;  1 large  common 
room;  2 cells,  7^x6  feet;  no  bathing  facilities ; no  instruction 
given ; no  employment ; highest  number  of  inmates,  2 ; esti- 
mated value,  $500. 

Lenawee — Old  brick  building  in  bad  condition;  fourteen 
cells,  8 feet  square,  with  four  berths  in  each  cell;  sexes  sepa- 
rated; no  bathing  facilities;  no  instruction;  no  employment ; 
no  reading  matter  furnished ; free  communication  allowed  in 
the  daytime ; highest  number  of  inmates,  18 ; estimated  value, 
$5,000. 

Livingston — Jail  and  residence  of  the  sheriff  on  the  lower 
lloor  of  the  court-house;  eight  cells;  two  of  them  14  feet 
square;  five  of  them  5x10  feet,  and  one  is  8x30  feet;  only 
common  facilities  for  bathing;  Bibles  furnished,  but  no  in- 
struction given;  prisoners  not  allowed  free  communication 
with  each  other;  highest  number  of  inmates,  5:  estimated 
value,  $10,000. 

Mackinac — No  statement. 

Macomb — Stone  building  for  jail,  one  story,  attached  to  a 
two-story  brick  building,  used  as  a dwelling  by  sheriff;  six 
cells,  four  of  them  8x12  feet;  two  12  feet  square;  women  kept 
in  a large  cell;  jail  very  much  out  of  repair;  walls  damp; 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


129 


no  bathing  facilities ; no  instruction ; newspapers  furnished 
for  reading ; no  employment ; free  communication  allowed  in 
the  daytime  ; highest  number  of  inmates,  8 ; estimated  value, 
$6,000. 

Manistee — No  statement. 

Manitou — No  statement. 

Marquette — No  statement. 

Mason — No  statement. 

Mecosta — Frame  building,  two  stories,  with  lour  cells,  6x8 
feet ; sexes  separated ; no  bathing  facilities ; Bibles  furnished, 
and  Ministers  of  the  Gospel  call  frequently ; no  employment ; 
free  communication  allowed  ; highest  number  of  inmates,  7 ; 
estimated  value,  $3,500. 

Menominee — No  statement. 

Midland — No  statement. 

Monroe — No  statement. 

Montcalm — Has  no  jail. 

Muskegon — Wood  building,  two  stories  with  wing;  3 cells  in 
lower  story  for  men,  4x7  feet,  and  one  above  for  wromen,  12x16 
feet;  sexes  separated;  no  facilities  for  bathing;  no  reading 
furnished ; no  instruction  given ; no  employment ; free  com- 
munication; building  is  rented  by  the  county,  belongs  to 
village  of  Muskegon  ; highest  number  of  inmates,  16. 

Newaygo — Building  of  timber,  covered  with  plank ; size, 
20x24  feet;  14  years  old,  damp  and  rotten,  and  in  a bad  con- 
dition ; two  cells,  12  feet  square ; sexes  separated  only  by  cells  r 
no  bathing  facilities ; no  instruction  given ; no  reading  matter,, 
and  no  employment ; free  communication  allowed ; highest 
number  of  inmates,  3 ; estimated  value,  $500. 

Oakland — Small  brick  building,  two  stories;  old,  inconve- 
nient, and  unfit  for  a jail;  8 cells,  only  1 of  them  for  women,*-: 
no  separation  of  sexes,  if  more  than  one  female  is  in  jail  at  the 
same  time ; no  facilities  for  bathing ; no  instruction  given 
books  and  papers  are  furnished  by  sheriff ; free  communication 
allowed  ; two,  and  sometimes  three  prisoners,  confined  in  the 
17 


130 


REPORT  OK  PEKAL  AXD 


same  cell ; arrangements  in  regard  to  water-closets  bad ; highest 
number  of  inmates,  15  ; value  not  stated. 

Oceana — Building  two  stories;  lower  one  used  for  jail; 
upper  one  for  court-room  ; five  cells  about  8x12  feet ; sexes  not 
separated,  only  by  being  confined  in  different  cells,  or  by  the 
hall  between  them ; no  bathing  arrangements ; no  instruc- 
tion given;  some  books  furnished  by  individuals  ; no  employ- 
ment ; free  communication  generally  allowed ; highest  number 
of  inmates,  3 ; estimated  value,  $3,500. 

Ontonagon — Good  log  building,  30x40  feet;  well  ventilated ; 
four  cells,  8 feet  square;  sexes  separated  by  being  kept  in 
different  cells,  but  prisoners  can  communicate  freely  with  each 
other ; no  bathing  facilities ; no  instruction  ; no  reading  mat- 
ter; no  employment ; number  inmates  during  the  year,  none; 
estimated  value,  $500. 

Osceola — No  statement. 

Ottawa — Small  wood  building,  1-J  stories ; upper  part  resi- 
dence of  sheriff ; lower  part  used  for  jail ; 2 cells,  7x9  feet ; 
sexes  kept  separate ; 'women  kept  in  a room  in  the  upper  story ; 
no  bathing  facilities ; no  instruction  given ; no  reading  matter, 
and  no  employment ; free  communication  allowed.  This  jail 
is  in  a filthy  condition,  and  is  totally  unfit  for  the  purposes  of 
a jail,  and  is  of  no  value ; highest  number  of  inmates,  6. 

Saginaw — NewT  brick  building,  two  stories ; twenty-five  cells ; 
two  of  them  7x8  feet,  and  the  others  6x7  feet,  constructed  of 
iron ; heated  by  furnace ; good  ventilation  in  the  passages,  but 
none  in  the  cells ; one  cell  for  females ; wdien  fully  completed 
there  will  be  good  facilities  for  washing  and  bathing;  religious 
instruction  is  given  by  members  of  Young  Men’s  Christian 
Association  once  or  twice  a week ; books  and  papers  are  fur- 
nished by  them  or  by  the  sheriff ; no  employment ; prisoners 
generally  allowed  free  communication  with  each  other ; provi- 
sion for  separation  of  sexes  not  very  good ; highest  number  of 
inmates,  23  ; estimated  value,  $32,000. 

Sanilac — Lower  part  of  court-house  used  for  jail;  wood 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


131 


building;  three  cells;  one  is  10  feet  square,  one  is  10x12  feet, 
and  one  is  6x10  feet ; not  in  a very  good  condition ; sexes  kept 
separate;  one  tin  wash-dish  for  washing  and  bathing  purposes ; 
no  instruction  given;  no  reading  matter;  no  employment; 
prisoners  not  allowed  free  communication ; highest  number  of 
inmates,  5 ; estimated  value  of  jail,  $100. 

Shiawassee — “A  den  at  the  back  of  the  court-house,  not  fit 
for  the  confinement  of  wild  beasts ;”  three  cells  of  different 
sizes ; sexes  not  separated ; no  facilities  for  bathing ; no 
instruction ; no  reading  matter ; no  employment ; free  com- 
munication allowed;  highest  number  of  inmates,  12. 

St.  Clair — Brick  building,  25x82  feet ; 3 cells  for  males  ; 
1 for  females,  8x12  feet;  free  communication  allowed;  no 
bathing  facilities ; no  instruction ; no  employment ; highest 
number  of  inmates,  9 ; estimated  value,  $4,000. 

St.  Joseph — Brick  building,  2-J  stories,  40x60  feet,  in  good 
condition ; 8 cells,  6 of  them  3^x6-J  feet,  1 10  feet  square,  and 
1 10x20  feet ; sexes  kept  separate ; washing  facilities  good ; 
one  special  bath-room  ; no  instruction  given ; reading  matter 
furnished  by  sheriff;  men  allowed  free  communication  in  the 
daytime ; highest  number  of  inmates,  9 ; estimated  value, 
$15,000. 

Tuscola — Xo  statement. 

Van  Baren — Wood  building  in  poor  condition;  4 cells 
8x10  feet ; sexes  kept  separate ; a very  insecure  jail,  and  pris- 
oners frequently  escape;  no  bathing  facilities ; no  instruction; 
no  employment ; free  communication  allowed;  highest  num- 
ber of  inmates,  5 ; estimated  value,  $1,000. 

Washtenaw — Brick  building  containing  22  cells  for  men, 
and  4 for  women,  4x8  feet  and  7 feet  high  ; sexes  kept  sep- 
arate ; religious  services  every  Sunday ; some  books  are  fur- 
nished by  Dr.  Gillespie;  no  bathing  facilities  ; no  employment; 
free  communication  allowed ; privy  arrangements  are  very  bad, 
offensive,  and  unwholesome ; building  in  bad  condition,  needs 
repairs;  highest  number  of  inmates,  12;  value  not  stated. 


132 


REPORT  ON-  PENAL  AND 


Wayne — Stone  building,  three  stories  ; securely  built,  with 
six  distinct  corridors,  and  cells  opening  therefrom ; eighty-four 
cells,  4^x8  feet,  10  feet  high,  besides  three  rooms  for  prisoners ; 
three  cells  for  witnesses ; one  common  room  used  for  women 
only;  there  is  running  water  in  each  corridor,  but  no  bathing 
facilities,  nor  any  requirements  thereto ; religious  services 
every  Sabbath,  under  the  care  of  the  Young  Men’s  Christian 
Association,  and  books  and  papers  are  furnished  by  them  to 
some  extent ; prisoners  in  each  corridor  can  hold  free  com- 
munication with  each  other ; when  visited  in  1869,  small  boys 
were  confined  in  the  same  corridor  with  hardened  criminals  > 
highest  number  of  inmates,  50;  value  not  ascertained. 

Wexford — Has  no  jail,  and  it  is  said  has  had  no  use  for  one 
as  yet. 

It  is  believed  that  the  diet  of  prisoners  in  our  jails  is  very 
generally  good  and  wholesome,  and  in  sufficient  quantity. 

Probably  the  sick  are  as  well  cared  for  as  they  can  be  in  such 
places,  and  with  such  accommodations,  none  of  the  jails  hav- 
ing hospital  rooms ; they  are  generally  treated  in  cells,  or  in 
rooms  illy  ventilated  and  poorly  lighted.  Nearly  all  the  jails 
in  the  State  are  without  ventilation,  except  by  means  of  the 
doors  and  windows ; and,  with  a few  exceptions,  are  so  con- 
structed as  to  be  prejudicial  to  the  health  of  persons  who  are 
confined  in  them.  Many  of  them  are  insecure,  and  in  that 
respect  unfit  for  the  use  for  which  they  are  designed. 

The  total  estimated  value  of  buildings,  as  shoAvn  by  the  fore- 
going abstract,  is  the  sum  of  $230,075,  and  several  of  them  are 
not  estimated,  some  of  which  are  of  considerable  value,  and  if 
all  were  included  would  probably  swell  this  amount  to  nearly 
if  not  quite  $300,000,  and  perhaps  exceed  that  sum ; yet  but 
few  of  them  are  constructed  in  the  manner  that  they  ought  to 
be.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  greatest  number  of  prisoners  at 
any  one  time  during  the  year,  in  the  counties  from  w'hich  state- 
ments were  received,  or  which  were  visited  by  the  Commissioners, 
amounts  to  466 ; and  w'ere  all  of  the  counties  included,  the 


REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS. 


133 


number  would  probably  exceed  500;  and  probably  the  total 
number  confined  during  the  year  would  double  or  treble  the 
number  above  specified,  perhaps  more,  nearly  all  of  whom  are 
without  any  secular  or  religious  instruction,  with  no  employ- 
ment, but  very  few  of  them  supplied  with  reading  matter, 
with  no  facilities  for  cleanliness,  and,  while  so  confined;  not 
only  having  no  opportunity  for  improvement,  but  in  a con- 
dition calculated  to  make  them  immoral  and  vicious.  In  fact, 
most  of  our  jails,  as  they  are  managed,  may  be  considered 
schools  of  vice  and  iniquity ; when  they  ought  to  be  so  con- 
ducted as  to  promote  good  morals  and  tend  to  elevate  and 
enlighten  the  inmates  in  regard  to  their  duties  to  themselves 
and  to  society. 


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